We’re all familiar with stress and anger, whether we’ve experienced it first or second hand towards a situation or a person, such as a road rage or having a disagreement with our spouse. Anger is defined as a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. There is a physiological, cognitive, affective and behavioural component to anger. There are 3 parts of anger: anger in (which involves inhibition and rumination), anger out (which involves outward expression such as slamming doors), and anger control (which involves strategies to control anger such as tolerance). Anger and stress can be exacerbated with alcohol, depression or trauma. Anger and stress have been associated with cardiovascular disease by mediating unfavourable changes in health behaviours such as the reduction in exercise when stressed or the increase of smoking when stressed.
The first step is to know that there will always be situations you cannot control, but you can control your response to them. It’s always a good idea to think before you speak and to wait until you are calm enough to assess the situation with a level head. You can also practice relaxation exercises – such as deep breathing, yoga, exercise, meditation or mindfulness. Sometimes it helps to use humour when assessing a situation, however, be careful that it doesn’t morph into sarcasm. Lastly, it’s important to know when you must seek treatment. A psychologist or counsellor can help you manage your anger in healthy ways to lead to a happier you!
