ANGER

All people in the world have one thing in common; they get angry and can recognize an angry face. Anger like joy, sadness, surprise is a universal emotion. It’s an integral part of day to day life. It’s part of the survival mechanisms of human beings that says much about you and cannot be cured but can only be managed. The good news is;You don’t have to be its victim. You can choose to respond when the world doesn’t treat you the way you would want it to.

Myths about anger

1. Males are angrier than females

Fact; Men tend to report more intense anger while women tend to hang on anger longer

2. Anger is bad

Fact; It serves a number of positive purposes when it comes to coping with stress. i.e. it energizes you to act, improves communication with others, promotes self-esteem, defends you against fear & insecurity

• Martin Luther and Jesus were both angry men who turned anger into social reform that made the world a better place.

3. Anger is good.

Fact; It leads to domestic violence, property damage, sexual abuse, drug addiction, ulcers etc.

4. Anger is only a problem when you express it openly.

Fact; 10% of people express it while 90% either suppress it (I don’t want to talk about it) or repress it (I’m not angry at all). People who express it get everyone’s attention

Behind your anger

The most common motive behind anger is the desire to assert authority upon others or independence or to improve one’s image-not necessarily to cause harm. Second is revenge. Third is letting off steam over accumulated frustrations.

Emotion is a compound word which comes from two words; E-energy & motion meaning movement. Emotion moves you to act in ways that defend you from threat and lead to social attachments & to explore your environments. Without it life would be at a standstill.

What is seen as anger can be just an iceberg in an ocean of very many other negative feelings or vice versa.

How much anger is normal?

Can be got from how often you get annoyed in a week.

Healthy/normal/episodic anger

1. not at all
2. once or twice a week
3. Three to five times a week

Excessive/chronic anger

1. once or twice a day
2. three to six times a day
3. seven-ten or more times a day.

To be continued………………

By

Amooti Margret Tumusiime (Psychotherapist)