Before I lose control
Introduction
Anger is a natural human emotion that can sometimes spiral out of control, leading to destructive outcomes. In Anger Management programs, it’s important for students to understand what they’re up against before learning how to manage their anger effectively. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the importance of understanding anger and how to catch yourself before losing control.
Understanding Anger
Before learning how to manage anger, it’s crucial to first understand what it is and how it affects you. The first few weeks of Anger Management classes are dedicated to helping students wrap their heads around their anger. It takes time for the brain to build pathways to understand anger, but with persistence, students can learn to recognize their triggers and catch themselves before losing control.
Monitoring Others
One exercise that is particularly helpful is monitoring others. By observing how other people react to triggers and identifying their primary and secondary emotions, Anger Management students can develop a deeper understanding of their own anger issues. This exercise helps students see that they’re not always the “person in the wrong” and can help them catch their own thoughts before anger gets out of control.
Catching Yourself Before You Lose Control
The ultimate goal of Anger Management is to develop the ability to catch yourself before you lose control. By using the pre-frontal cortex to evaluate your own thoughts and emotions, you can learn to recognize when you’re starting to feel angry and take steps to diffuse the situation. With practice and persistence, you can master the art of anger management and achieve greater emotional balance in your life.
Understanding anger is the first step to managing it effectively. By taking the time to recognize your triggers and learning to catch yourself before losing control, you can develop healthier coping strategies and achieve greater inner peace. Remember, anger is a natural emotion, but it doesn’t have to control your life. With the right tools and mindset, you can learn to manage your anger and live a happier, more fulfilling life.
Emotions under control
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Other Anger Management Variables to keep in mind:
Anger is a complex emotion that can be triggered by a variety of factors. In Anger Management programs, it’s important to understand these triggers and how they affect your emotional well-being. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the role of blood sugar levels, marijuana, and alcohol in triggering anger.
Blood Sugar Levels
Low blood sugar levels can make people easily agitated and angry. This is sometimes referred to as being “Hangry.” When combined with a trigger, low blood sugar can amplify the primary emotion and lead to anger. It’s important for Anger Management students to be aware of their blood sugar levels and take steps to keep them stable.
Marijuana
Marijuana is often confused as a depressant, but it can actually make people aggressive after the “High” wears off. Recently, the Surgeon General reclassified marijuana as an addictive substance, contradicting previous teachings. While this is a complex topic, it’s important for Anger Management students to understand the effects of marijuana on their emotional well-being.
Alcohol
Drinking can have both immediate and post-effects on anger. Alcohol can lower emotional control, making it easier for anger to creep into a situation and get out of control. The day after drinking, the brain can have a deficiency in certain chemicals, leading to the opposite effect. It’s important for Anger Management students to be aware of the effects of alcohol on their emotional well-being.
Understanding the factors that trigger anger is crucial for effective anger management. By being aware of blood sugar levels, marijuana, and alcohol’s effects on emotional well-being, Anger Management students can develop healthier coping strategies and achieve greater emotional balance in their lives. Remember, with the right tools and mindset, you can learn to manage your anger and live a happier, more fulfilling life.
Practice ways to stay calm:
Deep Breathing:
Everyone’s body is different; however, the basics are the same. When you are stressed or angry, your body reacts sub-consciously, and you start to breath more rapidly. This can lead to a buildup of carbon dioxide in your bloodstream. Deep breathing can reduce this effect, thereby helping reduce the effects of stress on the body and helping you relax. The result is deep breathing helps you calm down.
Express your anger:
This is most likely the hardest way for younger males to convey they are angry via verbal expression versus physical expression. Not just young males but children up to young adults may not have the pathways developed. Pathways need to be developed from the front of the brain to the middle of the brain for people to catch themselves from expressing themselves in an outburst of anger. Unfortunately, this outburst can be in the form of violence.
Expressing your emotions is an important step towards managing anger effectively. However, many people struggle to identify and express their primary emotions, which are often hidden beneath the secondary emotion of anger. These primary emotions can include:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| abandoned | alienated | alone | ambushed | ashamed | attacked |
| belittled | betrayed | blamed | cheated | controlled | deceived |
| deprived | diminished | disrespected | embarrassed | exploited | exposed |
| fearful | frightened | helpless | humiliated | hurt | inadequate |
| inferior | insensitive | insulted | isolated | jealous | judged |
| lost | mad | manipulated | mistreated | misunderstood | offended |
| powerless | provoked | resentful | revengeful | spiteful | terrified |
| threatened | unappreciated | undesired | unhappy | unloved | unsupported |
| unworthy | used | victimized | violated | ? | ? |
By acknowledging and expressing these primary emotions in a healthy way, individuals can better manage their anger and prevent it from escalating into destructive outbursts.
Speaking with a mental health professional:
Some may perceive speaking to a mental health professional as a weakness, but this is a misguided belief. Seeking the advice of a professional is a common practice and often yields better results than advice from friends or family. Professionals offer unbiased guidance from a third-party perspective.
Engage in physical activity:
When feeling stressed or angry, your body releases over 30 different hormones to respond to the stressor. Exercise is an excellent way to remove those extra stress hormones from your system and help you feel better.
Accept your anger and take a break:
It’s okay to feel angry sometimes, and it’s important to accept and acknowledge those feelings. When all else fails, take a break and walk away from the situation. This can give you time to calm down and reflect before reacting.
