What is Anger?

“Anger is a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.”

It is completely normal to experience anger from time to time, but when it surpasses the norms of human behavior, it can become a serious problem, especially when it leads us to behave in ways we seriously regret.

Signs and Symptoms

Anger manifests in various forms and it differs from person to person.

One of the most common symptoms is yelling and screaming, along with physical violence against people or objects. Some people direct their anger towards themselves and experience feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing. Others may show anger in a passive-aggressive manner.

Physical symptoms of anger occur when the body releases adrenaline. These physical symptoms can manifest themselves in a number of ways:

• Sweaty palms and feeling very hot
• A feeling of tightness in your chest
• Clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth
• A fast heartbeat or heart palpitations
• A pounding feeling in your head
• Shaking
• Needing to go to the toilet or having a stomach ache

Along with physical symptoms, you may mentally feel:

• Nervous and tense
• Guilty
• Sad or depressed
• Like a ‘red mist’ comes over you
• Out of control
• Irritable
• Like you want to run away
• Anxious

There are some behaviours that may indicate that your anger could be getting out of control. These include:

• Your frustration and anger seems constant, and your unable to calm down
• Your anger had led to criminal activity
• You are unable to control your temper around other people
• Your anger is effecting your personal relationships
• Your anger has impacted your work-life so you are unable to hold down a job
• Your anger has manifested into physical violence

Treatment

Treatment for anger varies from person to person. The first step towards fixing any anger related issues requires a visit to a Mental Healthcare Professional. The expert can determine what course of action is required. After a thorough understanding of the patient in question, the doctor can devise the treatment plan.

There are a number of various treatments available that can help a patient. These include talking therapies, which explores the patient’s triggers and to manage them. Examples of talking therapies include: Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Group therapy sessions, counselling or even one on one sponsor systems.

How do I keep my anger under control?

The first thing is to understand your triggers and being self-aware to when you are becoming angry. The symptoms mentioned above should be able to help you with identifying this, if you are unsure.

Once you have recognized your symptoms, you can then proceed to trying some methods to help you calm down. Taking deep, slow breathes should help you relax, or counting slowly to 10.

Long-term solutions include making sure you are looking after yourself both mentally and physically. This means making sure you are getting plenty of exercise, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and getting enough sleep. It is best to avoid alcohol and drugs, as these tend to aggravate symptoms and triggers.

If you are worried that you are suffering from abnormal bouts of anger, come talk to one of Ahmeys experts. We can help you find the right road to recovery together.