Analysis of Anger
Anger, in simple words, is one's reaction to feeling threatened. It starts from discomfort and leads to irritation, and at times it aggravates to violent rage. Anger is often mistaken for aggression. Terms such as hostility, aggression, and mood swing are used almost as a substitute for Anger, however there is a thin line of difference between them.
Hostility − While anger is the driving emotion, our own interpretation and judgment of situations result in Hostility. Hostility breeds and encourages Aggression.
Aggression − Aggression is the behavior that has the tendency to harm people/property. It is the final outcome of the anger brewing inside us.
Mood Swing − It is a lingering emotional state which can range from irritation to violent expressions of anger. When the mood is at its peak, it completely overtakes every other emotion. Interestingly, the word 'mood' derives from the old English word 'mōd' which means 'courage'.
Negatives of Anger
Rohan lives in an apartment. He wakes up one morning and finds someone has moved his bike from its parking spot without his consent. He first experiences a discomfort at someone having encroached the private space of his property. Slowly but surely, anger starts to brew. "Oh, sure! Go on − treat me like a worthless guy! Why even bother asking me for anything!" A hostile mental environment forms due to this interpretation of the situation.
While he was still talking to himself in anger, suddenly his son appears and asks him to help fix the fan. Already disturbed with his internal conflicts, Rohan yells out, reducing his son to tears. This venting out might have calmed Rohan temporarily, but the guilt and shame inside him for having hurt his son makes him grumpy and disagreeable for the rest of the morning. At work, the colleagues will notice and whisper among themselves − “Rohan is in a bad mood today.”
Try it Yourself
Recall an incident in your life where you had gotten angry and had become violent. It is best if the incident happened recently.
Step 1 − Maintain silence and close your eyes before you recall the incident. Take 10 minutes for this.
Step 2 − Fill in the Guide Form given below −
| Event (What’s the incident?) |
Trigger(What made you angry?) |
Emotion(How did you feel?) |
Sensation(How did your body react?) |
Thoughts(What was going in your mind?) |
Behavior(What was your reaction?) |
Consequence(What was the result of your reaction?) |
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Download Try-it yourself sheet.
