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Stress and Anger are Very Much Related Although there is a two-way
effect between stress and anger, it is more customary to view s Uncontrollable anger not only increases your stress but it places you at risk for sickness and, in some extreme cases, death. In the long run, anger does not help in the solution of the problem, simply because when you are angry your are so "emotionally charged "that you are not in a position to think clearly and rationally. These two latter conditions are usually two important preconditions needed to meaningfully solve most problems. Therefore, try to look at the facts relating to the problem and attempt to solve the problem in a logical and/or rational manner. EXAMPLE: If someone calls you stupid at work, simply tell the person that you certainly don’t agree with them and many other people who are familiar with you do not share their views. From a physiological basis, research suggests that people who are chronically angry have approximately four to seven times the risk of dying of heart disease and cancer. You may recall from section two of the book the discussion made regarding the various reactions of the body when it is experiencing stress. For example, under the influence of noradrenaline, which is sometimes referred to as the "anger hormone," blood flow to less essential areas, for example the skin and stomach, is reduced as the blood vessels flowing to these areas constrict. This narrowing of the blood vessels, along with the heart’s increased output, causes a rise in blood pressure. Depending on a person’s health, this rise in blood pressure, along with other factors, can lead to an heart attack or stroke. In some cases, however, depending on the nature of the problem and the people involved, you may be best advised to seek the help of others (e.g., counselors, friends, pastors, etc.), where they may act as arbitrators and/or advisors, thereby reducing the problem along with the stress you are experiencing. While in some cases anger cannot be prevented, especially based on the individuals’ predisposing personality dispositions (see EXHIBIT 3), it can be controlled or managed. Strategies for Managing Your Anger While there are many ways to manage your anger, the following six strategies mentioned in the past represent basic and practical steps to follow: Î Do not bottle your anger. If something is bothering you, try talking to a "supportive" other person (e.g., friend) about your feelings and reactions when they do occur. By doing this, you are reducing the tension and other emotional and nervous expressions that may be building up in side you. Without such release, and with the right initiating circumstances (e.g., on the road), you are likely to erupt in various types of anger-exhibiting behaviors (e.g., road rage, interpersonal outbursts at work).Ï Understand the cause(s) of your anger. It is usually felt that anger results primarily from having an inflexible belief system. Try to understand your beliefs in terms of things that you "ought to do," "should do" and "must do." How rigid or inflexible are you about conditions or activities related to these belief possibilities or thinking patterns? It is usually assumed that the more flexible our beliefs, the less likely we are to experience frustration and, hence, become angry. Therefore, why you get angry the next time, simply ask yourself what belief system was affected that resulted in your anger.Ð Try owning your own feelings. Basically, we cannot rectify a problem that is associated with us if we do not own it and recognize it for what it is in our eyes. Do not blame others for the feelings you have, simply own and, subsequently, attempt to rectify them.Ñ Try to physically express your feelings. If you cannot find ways to ventilate or "let off steam," your anger will not only consume you, but it may get you into trouble as well. Just like a kettle that has a small hole on the top of its cover, which allows for the gradual release of pent up steam, you, too, have to locate some source that will help you to beneficially release your anger without hurting anyone. Some of the activities that have been done in the past to reduce pent-up-anger, includes: shouting loudly, especially when no one is around; vigorously exercising, and "hitting a punch bag."Ò Know and judge your level of anger. It is important that you are able to assess when you are getting to a point that you may be out of control. Clearly, from a prevention point of view, the ideal case is for you to know what usually makes you angry and deal with the issue(s). If that fails, try avoiding these situations, at least for a while, until you can better prevent the anger-provoking situation(s). From a management point of view, try becoming familiar with the changes your body undergoes when you are about to or getting angry, for example: increase muscle tension, increase breathing, feeling flushed and tense, trembling and increase heart rate.Ó Try to be forgiving. Perhaps one of the best ways to manage anger is to know why you got angry in the first place and, if possible, forgive the person or persons involved and, later, try forgetting the entire situation that led to your anger. These suggestions are especially true if you are to blame, example, if you overreacted to a situation that led to your anger outburst. Again if the situation warrants it, be mature enough to apologize and move on realizing that no one is perfect and, therefore, we are at times likely to respond "inappropriately," such as when you got angry.
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tress
as more of a contributor to anger than anger being a contributing factor to
stress. Have you ever "snapped" at someone or something and realized
in reality that what you were really responding to was an earlier (stressful)
event that you had experienced. While anger is viewed as a natural human
emotional experience, if harbored too long it can be a destructive force that
can negatively impact on your health.
