Mass Shootings and Anger
The recent tragic mass shootings in Uvalde, TX ,Buffalo, NY, and Highland Park, IL as well as the rash of mass shootings over the past several years has brought attention to the causes and circumstances that lead someone to engage in this type of act. A focus has been whether untreated mental illness has been…
Anger In the Time of Pandemic
It has already been stated in many different forums that we are living in unprecedented times with the COVID-19 pandemic. In this period of crisis and misfortune, it is also obvious that individuals are experiencing difficult emotions and feelings in response to what has been occurring. There are feelings of grief and sadness for a…
Women and Anger: The Special Challenges of Single Parenting-Part 2
This issue of the Outlook Associates newsletter presents further strategies to help single parents address their anger: • Put Yourself in Your Children’s ShoesThink about things from your children’s perspective. What do you think it is like for them when Mommy gets angry? How do you feel about how your own parents exhibited anger during…
Women and Anger: The Special Challenges of Single Parenting-Part 1
“If anger were mileage, I’d be a very frequent flyer, right up there in First Class.” -Gina Barreca , Academic and Humorist In any given day, most of us encounter situations that make us angry. While commuting, working, caring for homes and families – just trying to stay afloat – we all face frustration. One…
The Treatment of Anger Control Problems
While the exploits of celebrities such as Charlie Sheen highlight the issue of anger control there has been little serious discussion about the treatment of persons who may have anger control problems. Part of the difficulty is that compared to other common emotional disorders associated with anxiety and depression, there is significantly less outcome research…
Anger Disorder Diagnosis?
The recent publication of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) and the controversy surrounding the relevance and validity of the different categories of diagnoses would suggest that it may not be the appropriate time to consider other types of mental disorders. However, given the impact of anger problems…
Intermittent Explosive Disorder
While the h edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) will be out shortly, there has been one diagnosis that has been associated with anger control problems and that has been intermittent explosive disorder (IED). Diagnosis The criteria for intermittent explosive disorder is as follows: • Several discrete episodes of failure…
The Impact of Diet on Anger
What we eat affects our physical health. What about our mental health? Research shows that diet does have an effect on emotions, mood, and behavior. Eating patterns and diet should be included as part of understanding an individual’s problems with anger. Improvement in Mood After Weight Loss Changes in diet can affect mood in the…
The Brain and Anger
Studies of anger and the brain are complex. Patterns of aggressive behavior match specific neural pathways. Research is beginning to explain individual reactions to anger and why these occur. Brain anatomy and neurotransmitters are two factors that interact to create and control angry feelings and thoughts. Research results will guide better treatment using targeted psychopharmacology…
Traumatic Brain Injury and Anger
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) receives more attention each year. The Centers for Disease Control data (2002 – 2006) shows that 1.7 million people a year experience a TBI. TBI is a factor in one third of all injury-related deaths. Concussions or mild TBIs account for 75% of head injuries each year. Definition TBI is defined…
The Impact of Oppression on Anger
Prejudice and oppression deeply affect people. Research has focused on discrimination based on gender, race and ethnicity, less so on socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, age, degrees of disability and religious affiliation. Differences exist for each type of discrimination but fundamental dynamics and consequences are similar. People who are members of multiple groups face further complexities.…
Anger and Anxiety
Anxiety and anger are two strong emotions that can feel unpleasant, overwhelming, even all-consuming. overlap and join in many of our reactions and share a number of characteristics. As with all emotions, both are necessary and serve a purpose. Anger is a sign of warning, prompting a reaction of warding off or self- protection. Without…
Anger and Smoking
“What could I do instead of smoke when I get angry at my kids? I have no idea.” “I went back to smoking last time I quit because I got in trouble at work. I was nasty to my boss. I don’t want that to happen this time.” Smoking and anger are connected in a…
Anger and Physical Health
How the body responds to anger in the moment affects the body long after the moment has passed. An automatic response to anger, known as the fight-or-flight syndrome, produces physiological changes: increased blood pressure and heart rate, constriction of blood vessels, increased muscle tension and changes in hormone and insulin levels. Williams and Williams in…
Anger Under Cover- Passive Aggression-Part Two
Changing Behavior Passive-aggression is anger that is subtle or indirect. Reacting passive-aggressively is based on the individual’s inability or unwillingness to express anger directly, causing behaviors aimed to intimidate, upset, hurt, and sabotage other people. Hidden anger also hides feelings such as shame and fear of intimacy, failure or uncertainty. For example, a passive-aggressive worker…
Anger Under Cover- Passive Aggression– Part One
Passive aggression is also referred to as hidden anger. This behavior occurs when anger is not expressed directly. Sometimes the hostility is clear, as when one family member in conflict with another makes sarcastic remarks during dinner. Most often, only after a pattern of particular behavior does it occur to others that anger is the…
Sleep Deprivation and Emotional Regulation
As reported by Hara E. Marano in Psychology Today (2003), the National Sleep Foundation found that most adults do not get as much sleep as they need. We all know how we feel after a bad night. What we may not realize is how dangerous sleep deprivation can be. Studies show negative effects of sleep…
Technodistress and Anger
Have you ever been moving along paying bills on-line, writing a report and your computer dies? Do you have a new cell phone and can’t figure out how to put it on vibrate? In moments of aggravation, have you ever imagined heaving your laptop out the window or screaming when yet another urgent e-mail arrives?…
Chronic Pain and Anger
The American Chronic Pain Association defines chronic pain as “pain that continues a month or more beyond the usual recovery period for an illness or injury”. Chronic pain is the most common cause of disability in adults and affects one in three people in this country. Causes include cancer, neuropathy, headaches, untreated or poorly treated…
Sibling Anger
For those of us with siblings, memories of play and affection coexist with memories of fighting and competition. Sibling relationships exist across a lifetime and substantially affect our quality of life. Sibling rivalry is a familiar phrase when speaking about children and adolescents growing up together. Rivalry also extends into adulthood. The legacy of early…
