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"Anger is a natural emotion," says Charles D. Spielberger, PhD, a
research professor of psychology at the University of South Florida who
has studied anger for 25 years. "There is nothing abnormal about it."
Anger might be normal, but it does affect you physically. When you get
enraged during a traffic jam or at your kid's soccer game, your hormone
levels increase, your breathing quickens, your pulse and blood pressure
soar, you start to sweat, and your pupils dilate.
Basically, your body is gearing up for action. This is the "fight" part
of the "fight or flight" response. Spielberger says anger has an
evolutionary advantage: "Fear and rage are common to animals, too,
because it helps them to fight and survive."
The problem is that, nowadays, anger isn't always so useful. Most of us
don't run into man-eating tigers standing in line at the DMV.
The physical effects of anger on your body can be lasting. Some studies
have shown a connection between anger and high blood pressure,
depression, and heart disease. One study found that people highly prone
to anger are three times as likely to have a heart attack or fatal
coronary heart disease as less angry people.
So what's the solution? Should you cork up your anger or regularly blow
your stack? Experts say neither. Whether you hold it in or explode in a
rage, frequent feelings of intense anger may pose the same health risks.
The key is to make your anger constructive. Spielberger says that the
first step is self-awareness. Don't allow yourself to fly into a rage.
Instead, be conscious of your anger. Stay in control. It's the only way
to figure out exactly what is making you angry.
Once you can identify the real problem, you can try to solve it
rationally instead of getting pointlessly furious. If you're angry with
someone, talk about it in an
assertive, but never aggressive, way. If a
certain situation sparks your anger, learn how to prepare for it -- or
better yet, avoid it -- in the future.
Anger Management Tips Breathe! Inhale and exhale deeply from your
diaphragm, under your chest bone. After a minute or so, you should feel
some tension ebb away. You can do breathing exercises anywhere,
anytime-even during an aggravating dinner with your in-laws.
Take a break. When rage strikes, change the scenery. If possible, leave
the room or take a walk.
Use your mind. Count to 10. Imagine yourself on a Caribbean beach. Or
repeat a soothing word to yourself.
Blow off steam. Exercise, because physical activity can be a great
stress reliever. Try slow, stretching moves like those done in yoga.
By: Chris Koenig
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