Such Maladaptive behaviour could be identified on the basis of frequency, intensity, duration, mode of expression, effect on performance, and effect on interpersonal relationships. Needless to say that such behaviour should be identified and appropriate early intervention be extended.
Very often anger is followed by another negative feeling of guilt, especially when the person believes that anger is a totally unacceptable behaviour. Feeling of guilt would put the person down, causing withdrawal, and losing self-confidence.
Unexpressed anger is unhelpful in two ways:
- It will not communicate your real feeling to another person. By hiding your frustration/dissatisfaction, you are blocking the real message to others which will lead to further confusion, conflict, or frustration.
- By hiding your anger you are creating or piling up repressed feelings which might warrant counselling/therapy sessions.
In order to avoid such guilt feeling it is important to believe that anger is yet another emotion which meant to be expressed for some good objectives like, avoiding a threat. Since it is found that expression of anger escalates the problem rather than solving the issue, it becomes imperative to look at different options of expressing the message through less damaging, if not positive, emotions.
Mental health professionals recommend different short-term methods to deal with anger like:
- Counting
- Breathing and Relaxing
- Physical exercise
- Switching attention
- Going out for shopping or meeting with friends
- Cognitive restructuring
- Pressing the 'Pause' button to avoid conflicts
- Guided imagery methods
Such methods are useful to a great extend, though many cases do need personalised therapy sessions in order to find what causes anger and how to deal with it.
© Copy Right: 2007, M.G. Lazarus PhD.