Navigating Anger Issues

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured." —Mark Twain

Anger can be an intense and seemingly unpredictable emotional reaction. It can make an otherwise calm and collected person go from zero to one hundred—feeling totally out of control, irrational, not like themselves.

For some, anger comes on quickly, for others it can take time to ramp up and intensify. Some people experience a more mental reaction to anger, caught up in thoughts [i.e., “how dare they!], others a more physical reaction [i.e., fighting, approaching]. Anger takes on many forms and it can be easy to get “swept up” within it.

It important to remember that anger clouds judgment. The chemical cascade that brains undergo during bouts of anger contribute to a difficulty recruiting and utilizing higher order parts of the brain responsible for critically evaluating and thinking about situations. The brain secretes adrenaline and testosterone, among other neurochemicals, generally responsible for mobilizing and motivating the body to survive.

While anger is partly an emotional response to an experience, it is also an emotional response to the narrative that we tell ourselves about the experience we had. The emotion may be valid, but the narrative around the experience can be flawed, and in many instances, given what we know about anger and thought processes, it is.

If you are experiencing issues with anger, it is important to treat the symptoms early. Since anger can lead to aggressiveness, and aggressiveness can create professional, relationship, and legal problems, goals for therapy can include learning how to self-soothe and self-regulate and to curb behaviors that may be fueling anger. If you are interested in learning to manage anger issues, contact us at The Ridge today.

-Dr. Jena Casas, Ph.D.