How to Disarm Anger

Anger is an emotion that we encounter sporadically, and we generally experience anger as a response to disappointment, frustration, threats, or from being hurt. There are many different causes of anger. Some people may experience or witness abuse as a child or an adult, which can develop in anger issues. In this situation, anger feels like the safest emotion to adapt to. The person may feel like acting out in anger will keep them safe from further abuse. However, changes in one’s brain chemistry may alter other emotions and can result in difficulty to control anger. Certain families have a low tolerance for revealing undeniable emotions in front of others. With this being said, children are taught that they should not express these emotions at all. Covering up these emotions will result in a possible outburst, or worse. Stress is tremendously related to anger. Healthy stress is considered a motivator, and it is what keeps us focused during the day. “Distress” is a type of stress that causes people to lash out and become irritable. This usually happens when someone is overwhelmed with stress, and it is no longer a motivator. Many people fail to realize that their fears are what cause them to be angry. They might try to blame something or someone else to denounce the fact that their fears are what initiate their anger. For example, if you do not grasp something, your actions may result in anger. This is because you are afraid of what that action means. Generally, getting angry because you are afraid is common among people. Another reason why people get angry is because of feeling threatened. This feeling does not usually occur often, but if someone lashes out in anger it could be from a triggered event. For example, you may have been stuck in traffic, or got into a disagreement with someone at school or work- causing you to be angry. When someone is undergoing the feeling of anger, they are using the limbic center of the brain. The limbic system is an area of

References: American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Strategies for controlling your anger. Retrieved from Strategies for controlling your anger. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/controlling-anger.asp How To Talk To An Angry Person. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_5061603_talk-angry-person.html Flore, D. T. (2014). How to deal with angry people: A survival guide. Retrieved from http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/How_To_Deal_With_Angry_People_A_Survival_Guide.html The Limbic System. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.boundless.com/psychology/the-brain-and-behavior/the-brain/the-limbic-system/ Common Causes for Anger Management Issues. (2012, 02 06). Retrieved from http://www.mysahana.org/2012/02/common-causes-for-anger-management-issues/