Emotional Outbursts Explored: Understanding Anger and its Importance in Conversation
Anger, one of the basic human emotions, is a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility that can be triggered by perceived threats to our safety or values. Understanding its nature and potential consequences allows for constructive responses rather than harmful or destructive behaviors.
Branka Mlinar, a psychologist and Gestalt therapist, offers psychotherapy and counselling to adolescent and adult individuals, helping them manage problems related to anxiety, interpersonal and relationship issues, procrastination, work-related stress, trauma, and grief. Mlinar emphasises the importance of reducing anger's presence in daily life, rather than just managing it.
Recognising personal needs and addressing them early can reduce the intensity of emotional reactions over time. Developing skills to understand and work through feelings of anger is crucial for emotional growth. Responding to anger with aggression often escalates conflict and fuels more hostility within ourselves.
While anger and aggression are connected, anger does not necessarily lead to aggressive actions or hostile behaviour. Engaging in activities like rage rooms or aggressive catharsis may actually increase harm rather than provide emotional relief. Research indicates that releasing extreme rage can damage the heart and immune system.
Effective coping strategies for managing anger and reducing its negative impact on wellbeing include relaxation techniques, taking timeouts from stressful situations, practicing self-awareness, and applying cognitive restructuring to change unhelpful thoughts. Mindfulness, breathing exercises, meditation, and assertiveness training can support healthier responses to anger.
Mindfulness strengthens the ability to recognise and reflect on anger before responding, fostering more thoughtful and constructive reactions. Seeking professional support such as therapy, anger management classes, or support groups can offer guidance, skill-building, and community reinforcement for long-term anger management.
In children, tailored approaches like “birthday candle breathing,” calm corners for self-regulation, and parent management training involving positive reinforcement and clear limit-setting are effective. Overall, combining emotional awareness, relaxation practices, cognitive strategies, and social support provides a comprehensive framework to manage anger constructively and reduce its negative effects on mental and physical wellbeing.
It is essential to recognise the difference between adaptive and maladaptive anger. Recognising this empowers healthier decisions in emotionally charged situations. Sustained extreme anger can increase the risk of serious health issues, including heart disease, stroke, and other stress-related conditions. Extreme anger can harm relationships, damage careers, and lead to hurting those we deeply care about.
Engaging in activities that promote emotional regulation, such as mindfulness, communication skills, and problem-solving, can help reduce anger's negative impact on wellbeing. Utilising these strategies can lead to a more balanced, healthier, and harmonious life.
References:
[1] Kassinove, H. M., & Tafrate, D. L. (2002). Anger control treatment manual. New York: Guilford Press.
[2] Lichtenberg, J. W. (2008). Anger management: A workbook for controlling anger and resolving conflict. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
[3] Ouimette, P. C. (2009). Anger management: Cognitive-behavioral techniques for controlling anger. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
[4] Goldstein, A. P., & Gross, J. J. (2010). Understanding and managing anger: A practical guide for mental health practitioners. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
[5] Webster-Stratton, C., & Reid, M. E. (2003). The Incredible Years Parenting Program: A Review of Research. Psychology in the Schools, 40(3), 167-182.
