Anger Management (part 2)

**Anger management cont'd**

Nobody wants to be a slave to their emotions. We want to be in control of ourselves and not have to regret anything we've done afterward, right? Well getting control of how anger effects you is a major step in the right direction. Let's see some other factors that can contribute to the problem and more tips to help us cope...

To Vent Or Not To Vent?

Believe it or not but venting isn't always the wisest way to help yourself simmer down, especially depending on the individual you choose to vent to! Most friends or family will happily lend an ear but tend to agree with what you may be complaining about, taking your side, and hence fueling your fire. This allows you to elaborate further and find more about the incident that angers you, escalating the situation rather than helping defuse it. So unless you have someone wise enough to give you a proper objective view on the situation, don't settle for someone's biased view no matter how tempting and satisfying it may be. Another option may be to find a creative or artistic way to vent, such as writing in a journal, making music, or any other hobby or form of expression that can be used as medium to reduce your stress levels.

Respond, don't React

It won't be easy but you have to undo what has most likely been instilled in you from childhood. Depending on your role models, your parents, your friends, or just genetics (you might naturally be more aggressive or impulsive than others), you now need to condition yourself not to act, but rather to respond. Not everyone has the best command of the English language and can't always articulate what's going on in their minds, so keeping it simple is best. Also keeping things short and staying focused is always a better way to express yourself because you might trail off topic, bring up the past, and most likely lose your listener's attention (humans can only take in so much information at a time). So keeping things short (within maybe a minute at a time) and then letting the other speak while you listen is a good way to keep your anger from escalating and a healthy way to communicate back and forth.

Fight or Flight

The "fight or flight" response to acute stress we've been hardwired with should now be a thing of the past. We're conscious beings that are able to transcend beyond our primitive carnal instincts. We have the will and ability to overcome any obstacle and do so without resorting to violence or barbaric impulses of the past. We should look forward with a better solution, both calmer and mutually beneficial that moves society forward, not backwards.

Latest "News"

Lots of people watch television, almost everyone we know actually. Television can be a source of entertainment or information, and keep you busy for hours on end sometimes. Unfortunately, your television may be doing a lot more harm than you think, specifically for those of you that watch the News. Now I can go on and on about the negative aspects of television commercials and the problematic media influences on society that television is also guilty of, but I will choose to stay on topic for argument's sake.

Television News programs tend to express extreme viewpoints (usually one sided) on almost any topic and on both local and international events. As we all know most news is "bad news", but it is usually delivered in a way to get you angry, depressed, or raise fear in you. It changes the way we look at the world, at one another, and delivers an unneeded amount of negativity that is not worth your time or attention. If you wish to learn about the happenings of the world, by all means use any other medium (although even some newspapers and magazines tend to deliver news in the same manner, so be careful). Give your nerves a rest and you may be a lot less prone to anger if you cut out television news programs from your life.

Making Anger Your Ally

Anger can be a positive thing depending on how you express it. Learn to harness the chemical responses within you caused by anger and learn to be more assertive, bold, and quit wasting energy on unproductive anger! It can be used constructively to challenge injustice and wrong, and inspire and change the world for the better! If there are things you want to change in your life but are just too afraid or don't have the willpower to do so, anger can be the perfect motivation you need to jump start and get things into motion . It is invigorating, and energizing, and can be used to protect you from harm and defend yourself against perceived threats (as long as you use it in a positive way, of course). Getting control of your anger doesn't mean being a victim or a push-over to the knuckleheads of the world. Ask yourself what it is you wish to achieve when you get angry, how you would like it to happen, and how you can achieve it in the best way possible for everyone, and anger can inspire a positive change in you, and even others.

**I hope that you enjoyed and learned something about Anger Management. If you have any questions, want me to elaborate on anything I've mentioned, or have a topic you'd like me to discuss, please feel free to let me know via email at: aforwardthinking@gmail.com**

Thank you for reading.

-The Friendly Individual