‘Tis the season to be……… angry?

A few thoughts about anger, and anger management as we approach the festive season.

———ooo – OOO – ooo———

Family time.

How often have we heard it – Christmas….it’s all about the kids, the family?  Sounds idyllic but all too often the picture can be different.  The Festive Season sees families spending much more time together, more time at home, and this with the pressures of expectation.  It can be a stressful time for anybody, but for people who are already facing challenges the situation can be much worse.  In this brief article I will look at anger and how it can threaten harmony at this time, and of course, throughout the year.

What is anger?

Anger is a natural response to feeling attacked, deceived, frustrated or treated unfairly.  We all get angry sometimes, it’s part of being human, but it becomes a problem when it harms you or people around you.  Words are said, and actions undertaken, that cannot be reversed.

Worse still when you are in this cycle of anger it has a negative impact on both your mental and physical health.

Why do we get angry?

Anger is often a reaction to other, underlying issues.  Often our response to a situation may appear  disproportionate because of factors such as:

* childhood and upbringing

* past experiences

* current circumstances

These factors influence how we react to trigger such as:

* feeling threatened or attacked

* feeling frustrated or powerless

* perceived unfair treatment

But does it really matter?

The short answer is YES…..definitely.

Anger can be a symptom of underlying mental health issues.

Issues around self esteem, and a feeling that your life is out of your control, frequently result in frustration and an inability to control anger.  This easily becomes a vicious circle when you consider that –

Anger can contribute to mental health problems.

Anger can make existing problems worse.  Struggling to control anger increases stress and negatively affects self-esteem. This may lead to other problems such as anxiety and depression, sleep problems, and many more.

Outbursts of anger may frequently be followed by a period of depression, self loathing and disconnection from others around you.

Anger can affect you physical health as well.

Suffering strong anger regularly, or for prolonged periods contributes to:

* colds and flu

* digestive problems

* high blood pressure

This is primarily because the stress hormones released when you are angry act as immune system depressants, leaving your health vulnerable.

‘Tis the season to be…….angry?

So I have talked about some aspects of anger but why should this be the season.  Well it isn’t – unless you let it be.  The general stress around Christmas preparations, family and social gatherings, office/works parties, and just spending more time than usual with loved ones, can all act as triggers for anger.  Pre-existing difficulties will only serve to intensify the problems.

There are many techniques that can help prevent/diffuse anger such as:

* relaxation techniques

* breathing exercises

* distraction

* exercise

All great in their own ways but they, self evidently, only tackle the symptom and leave the underlying causes to rear their heads in the future.

Learning to overcome anger issues and thrive.

The Thrive Programme specifically addresses your psychological foundations by addressing –

* How in control you feel of your life

* Your self esteem

* Your social anxiety

By learning how to rebuild strong psychological foundations anger issues will quickly dissipate and become a thing of the past.  The Programme takes as little as 6 weeks and you learn how to turn your life around.

Click here to learn more and to arrange a free, confidential, consultation.

Ian Crosswell

I’m Ian and I’m a qualified Thrive Programme Consultant. Using the professionally developed Thrive Programme – a proven, evidence based, positive psychology training programme – I work with people from all walks of life, providing the insights and skills they need to change their lives for the better.