Module to understanding anger. Before we discuss specific anger management strategies, it is helpful to first understand the nature of anger. While most are familiar with this emotion, not everyone is aware of its underlying dynamics. In this module we will discuss the cycle of anger, the fight or flight response, and common myths about anger. The cycle of anger. Anger is a natural emotion that usually stems from perceived threat or loss is a pervasive emotion.
It affects our body thoughts, feelings and behavior. Anger is often described in terms of intensity, frequency, duration, threshold and expression. Anger typically follows a predictable pattern, a cycle, understanding that cycle Anger can help us understand our own anger reactions and those of others, it can also help us in considering the most appropriate response. illustrated below are five phases of the anger cycle, trigger escalation, crisis, recovery, and depression. Number one, the trigger phase. The trigger phase happens when we perceive a threat or loss and our body prepares to respond.
In this phase, there is a subtle change from an individual's normal, adaptive state into his stressed state. Anger triggers different from person to person and can come from both the environment or from our thought processes. Number two, the escalation phase. In the escalation phase, there is the progressive appearance of an anger response. And this phase our body prepares for both a crisis after perceiving the trigger. This preparation is mostly physical and is manifested through symptoms like rapid breathing, increase heart rate, a raise blood pressure.
Once the escalation phase is reached, there is less chance of calming down as this is the phase where the body prepares the fight or flight to be discussed later. Number three, the crisis phase. As previously mentioned, the escalation phase is progressive. And it is in this crisis phase that the anger reaction reaches its peak. In a crisis phase our body is on full prepared to take action in response to the trigger. During this phase logic and rationality may be limited, if not impaired because the anger instinct takes over.
In extreme cases, the crisis phase means that a person may be in serious danger to himself or to other people. Number four, the recovery phase. The recovery phase happens when anger has been spent, or at least controlled, and there is not a steady return to a person's normal adaptive state. And this stage, reasoning and awareness of oneself returns. If the right intervention is applied, the return to normalcy regresses smoothly. However, an inappropriate intervention can reignite the anger and serve As a new trigger number five, the depression phase.
The depression phase marks a return to a person's normal adaptive ways. Physically, this stage marks below normal vital signs such as heart rate, so that the body can recover equilibrium. A person's full use of his facilities return at this point, and the new awareness helps a person assess what just occurred. Consequently, this stage may be marked by embarrassment, guilt, regret, or depression after the depression phase is a return to normal or adaptive phase. A new trigger however, can start the entire cycle all over again. Below is an example Have a person going through five stages of the anger cycle.
Josephine came home from work to see dirty plates left in the sink, the trigger phase, she started to wash them, but as she was doing, so she kept thinking about how inconsiderate her children are for not cleaning after themselves. She was already tired from work and does not need the extra chore. She felt the heat in her neck and the tremble in her hand as she was washing the dishes, escalation face, feeling like she can't keep it to herself any longer. She stormed up the room to confront her kids. And they raised voice she asked them how difficult Could it be to wash the dishes? She told them that they are getting punished for their lack of responsibility.
Crisis face. having gotten the words out, she felt calmer, and her heartbeat slowly returned to normal. She saw that our kids are busy with homework when she interrupted them. She was also better able to hear their reasoning as they apologize, recovery face. Josephine regret it yelling at her children and told them that she's simply tired and it's not their fault. Depression face understanding fight or flight.
The fight or flight theory formulated by Walter cannon describes how people react to perceived threat. Basically, when faced with something that can harm us we either aggress fight or withdraw flight. It is believed that this reaction is an ingrained instinct geared towards survival. The fight or flight instinct is manifested in bodily ways. When faced with a threat, our body releases the hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol. These chemicals are designed to take us to a state of alertness and action.
They result in increased energy, heart rate, slow digested, and above normal strength. Understanding the fight or flight instinct can help us understand the dynamics of our anger response. The following are some of the implications of the fight and flight theory or anger management. First, the theory underscores how anger is a natural response. There is no morality to anger. Anger is a result of personal harm to self was a physical, physical or emotional.
Second, this theory reminds us of the need to stay in control. When we are angry, our rationale self gets overwritten by a basic survival instinct. There's a need to act immediately. This instinct can then result in aggressiveness over reactivity, or hyper vigilance, which are all contrary to rational and deliberate response. Conscious efforts towards self awareness and control is needed so that this instinct does not overpower us. common myths about anger.
Here are five common myths about anger. Number one, anger is a bad emotion. There is no such thing as a good or bad emotion. There are instinctual reactions, and we don't make conscious decisions for them to come. In fact, some anger reactions are appropriate, such as anger against discrimination, injustice, and abuse. What can be judged as positive or negative, healthy or unhealthy is how we react to anger.
Number two, anger needs to be unleashed for it to go away. It's true that anger needs to be expressed in order for symptoms to be relieved. However, expressing anger in a verbally or physically aggressive ways are not always the way to unleash anger. Nor is anger an excuse for a person to be aggressive. The expression of anger can be tempered by rationality and forethought. Note that venting anger does not necessarily result in the anger disappearing.
Although venting can relieve the center At times, processing personal experiences, seeing concrete change, and genuine forgiveness are needed for anger to go away. And the three, ignoring anger will make it all go away. Generally, all kinds of emotions do not disappear when ignored. The anger just gets temporarily shelved and will likely find other ways of getting expressed. It can get projected to another person transformed into a physical symptom, or built up for a bigger future below. Some of the behaviors may even be unconscious ways of expressing anger.
While there are situations where it's inadvisable to express your anger immediately, the very least you can do is acknowledge that it exists. Number four, you can't control your anger. This myth is related to the second one. As discussed earlier, the fight and flight instinct can make anger overwhelming emotion. However, this instinct does not mean that you are not a slave to your impulses. awareness of anger dynamics and a conscious effort to rise above your anger can help you regain control of your reactions.
Number five. If I don't get angry, people will think I'm a pushover. It's true that a person can lose credibility if he makes rules and then ignores violations. However, anger is not the only way a person can show that they are consequences to violations. In fact, the most effective way of instilling discipline and others is to have a calm Not emotional approach to dealing with rule breakers, calm and rationality can communicate strength to case study. Ever since he was a young boy, Jeff was known to have problems related to anger management.
He used to get angry on other children whenever they play with his toys, or wouldn't allow him or her to join a gang. as no one tried to understand Jeff and his condition, he grew up with a short temper, which caused him a lot in his life. Jeff lost a total of three jobs and start living on a pension and a home with poor conditions. One day, Jeff miraculously decided to approach people and ask for their advice. He thought that this way he would be able to answer Stan how anger works, and help others get rid of theirs before it brought consequences. This way, Jeff learned a lot about the anger cycle of anger, its phases and also how to help others control it.
He started working on building himself a career in this niche by taking courses and helping people with ever he had free time. This has provided him with a nice income, but also made people understand which aspects of anger management were myths and which were facts. After the completion of the documents attach to this module, please proceed to Module Three