Sunday, April 10, 2011

Work In A Positive Way With Anger

Epictetus, from the early century AD, recommends if you do not wish to be prone to anger, do not feed the habit; give it nothing which may tend to its increase. If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: 'I used to be angry every day; then every other day; now only every third or fourth day. When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God.
Everyone experiences feelings of anger or irritability, however, there are people who are especially prone to these feelings and the adverse effects of anger. Some people can tolerate more stress, bipolar disorder frustration, and disappointment than others. The same situations, conflicts, or events may trigger anger for you and not for someone else. There are many different ways to express anger when you feel the intensity of the emotion. By reflecting on how you express your anger, you can determine whether you need to learn new skills to respond in healthier ways. If you have been wronged, it is natural to feel angry. But how you express these feelings through words, gestures, or actions can be problematic due to the intensity of the anger emotion. It’s important to manage your reaction in a constructive, controlled way. Controlling your outward behavior and your internal responses to the anger can allow you to calm yourself and let the angry feelings fade away. Relaxation or visualization techniques such as counting to ten, meditation, breathing exercises, or even exercising can help ease your physical responses and help you focus on something positive.

2 comments:

  1. This is nicely written! Personally I think it's true! I'm a ball of rage unless I exercise (somehow) regularly. Meditation has also saved me from hurting self or others many times. But walking...walking is the best one of all. Now if I am too angry and I feel that control slipping, I step out and walk until I'm calm enough to be rational again.

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  2. Truly, walking or any exercise that a person can do in regards to their age ...Is good to help control anger.Perhaps it is just a normal way to "burn off steam" If one can not exercise physically. then cooling oneself down come with a mind exercise ....I'm thinking of learning how to to build patience and employ tolerance to "override" Anger. It becomes a "Mind Game" with anger!

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