It's essential to understand the different warning signs of an anger problem, and learn effective coping mechanisms. As a result, your mental health, physical health, and interpersonal relationships will all be safeguarded. Our Anger management counselling in Toronto is a resource that can help you work through these issues.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed, confused, and frustrated by the continuous stream of information and events that bombards us daily.
Angry outbursts are the result, and they may ruin your day and worse yet, your relationships. The question then becomes, how can you determine whether you have anger management problems?
What Is Anger?
According to the American Psychological Association, anger is characterized by hostility toward someone or something you perceive to have intentionally wronged you.
Most of us, when confronted with certain stressful circumstances, respond with displays of anger, but this does not make you a terrible person; it makes you human.
Anger allows you to vent your frustrations, and it tells you that something is happening that is important to you. But when it bubbles to the surface in uncontrolled ways, it may create difficulties for your message to be heard by the people around you.
5 Warning Signs You Have An Anger Problem
It may sound surprising, but expressing your anger in a healthy way might really be beneficial, especially for the relationship you have with yourself and others. Anger that isn't addressed can build up and explode in destructive ways, or be bottled up which can also be destructive.
Feelings of shame and blame are common outcomes of internalized anger. This, in turn, can cause a downward spiral of bad feelings and a loss of confidence.
Possible signs of poor anger management include the following types of behavior.
Physiological Responses
As a result of social conditioning, many people avoid discussing or even expressing anger. This leaves people scrambling to find words to describe how they feel when it inevitably does. Maybe you or a loved one has a habit of acting out physically when provoked.
Physical effects of anger include such behaviors as rubbing one's head, closing hands to make fists, clenching teeth, repeatedly nodding your head, pacing, becoming sarcastic, raising one's voice and increasing the speed in which you speak. Or, some may look to escape their emotions by consuming drugs or alcohol.
Emotional Reactions
Getting emotionally heated is another typical reaction to anger. Those who have trouble controlling their anger may also experience a range of other negative emotions, including depression, guilt, resentment, anxiety, and a strong desire to escape tense situations. Those who struggle with anger may find it takes them a long time to calm back down once angered.
Emotional Expression
Expressing oneself in a healthy and calm manner might be challenging for someone with anger management problems. If you're having trouble reaching an agreement with someone on a delicate issue, this may be why. You may struggle to find the words you need to collaboratively work together in a solution focused way.
Susceptible To Triggers
Some forms of mental illness and substance abuse have been noted as possible precipitating factors in an episode. Having a few glasses of alcohol may contribute to your inability to calm down, talk/listen respectfully, and lacking control you may lash out in abusive/ violent ways.
Isolation and Self-Harm
If you bottle up your anger, it can start eating away at you from the inside out, triggering depression, anxiety, and even acts of self-harm.
Individuals experiencing depression are more likely to experience these thoughts and act on their desire to harm themselves.
Conclusion
It's unhealthy for the body and the mind to constantly replay traumatic events and to lose your temper in unhealthy ways. When your mind needs assistance, it may show up in shallow breathing, spurts of anger, or a general sense that something is wrong with how you are interacting and showing up in your world.
You can express your feelings of anger in constructive ways that actually cultivate intimacy among you and your loved ones, as well as help you feel self-trust. You've taken the first step toward recovery by acknowledging that you have anger issues and being willing to work on resolving them. If in the event that you are not sure, err on the side of caution for your sake and your important relationships.