Anger

One of the fundamental human emotions, along with happiness, sadness, fear, and guilt, is anger. These emotions are basic in a human’s life and are essential for our everyday functioning. They help us communicate with others, react to and act in certain situations, and avoid danger. However, things go out of control when some emotions become overwhelming and arise in situations where they are not appropriate. For example, some people may feel too much guilt even when there is no apparent reason for that. Similarly, anger may dominate the emotional life of a person and bring a lot of discomfort. Anger is involved in our “fight or flight” response which tells us to act or run away from the dangerous situation. Some people may live in a “chronic” mode of anger. Despite a popular misconception that depression promotes mostly sadness, a lot of people may be very irritable and angry when they are depressed. Additionally, anger may be associated with such conditions as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, some people may be more susceptible to experiencing frequent anger because of their personality traits. For example, narcissism, low frustration tolerance, infantilism, and assertiveness may be linked to aggression and anger. These qualities, paired with chronic stress, past traumas, and lack of situational appraisal skills, result in angry outbursts, which can be both verbal and physical.

Being able to manage anger can improve one’s quality of life. First, it can be helpful to acknowledge the triggers. For example, the person may react with anger to the same phrase said by their parent. Therefore, they need to increase their inner locus of control by paying attention to the current emotions and physical sensations promoted by the specific situation. Simple acknowledgment and acceptance of the inner state develop the inner locus of control and allow for control of the anger. Focusing on the interoceptive sensations and controlling your inner feeling is more beneficial than trying to control the outside environment (which is almost impossible). Moreover, accepting others and understanding their perspective may reduce anger response because anger is often associated with low tolerance towards others and black-and-white thinking. Therefore, increasing self-awareness skills is the key to managing excessive anger.

Individual therapy and support groups are great ways to understand anger, recognize the triggers, and build coping skills. The therapist can teach the person to utilize breathing exercises, apply meditation techniques, develop solution-focused skills, and use constructive dialogue when communicating with other people. Learning how to manage anger may improve social connections, performance at work, reduce stress (for example, when driving), and improve mental resiliency.