What is anger?
Anger is a completely natural response that comes from our primitive emotional brain. It uses anger to increase our strength and keep us safe. When our anxiety levels rise or we are under considerable stress, our primitive brain will think that we are in a crisis and step in to help. One common tool the primitive brain uses is anger. Feeling anger now and then is a normal part of life, however, it can become a difficult emotion to control. Anger can vary from becoming irritable to becoming aggressive and in some severe cases, physical violence. Failing to manage anger effectively can lead to mental and physical health problems. It may also impact your relationships, your work or even your self-esteem.
When does anger become a problem?
Anger can be a useful emotion that triggers a physical reaction in the body, this is referred to as the ‘fight or flight’ response. This normally occurs when we feel stressed or threatened. Adrenaline is pumped around the body, making you feel ready to either ‘fight’ or flee. However, fighting or running away from a conflict is usually not appropriate. This makes it difficult to know how to express anger, which can lead to anger problems. Some people may bottle up their anger as they are unable to express it. This can lead to angry outbursts and can make you feel angrier in general. For some people, anger quickly becomes their go-to emotion, blocking out their ability to feel other emotions. Some common unhealthy ways we express anger are:
• Aggression and violence (for example, shouting, violence)
• Inward aggression (for example, self-harming, speaking badly to yourself)
• Passive or non-violent aggression (ignoring people, being sarcastic, deliberately doing things poorly, refusing to do tasks)
How can we help?
At Hapus Hypnotherapy we can help you understand why you react in this way, whilst providing you with effective methods of dealing with situations calmly. We help you get back into your positive mind.
For further help and support regarding anger, these links may be useful:
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/anger/
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anger/about-anger/
