Anger & Frustration

Signs of Anger & Frustration

• Having a hard time controlling when and how you express anger
• Overreacting to situations
• Being told you have a short fuse or are short tempered
• Thinking a lot about negative things that happen
• Becoming easily and frequently annoyed or irritable
• Acting aggressively towards other people, animals, or property
• Legal trouble because of your temper
• Angry reactions causing difficulty in relationships
• Becoming angry when you don't get your way
• Holding grudges
• Planning revenge

What is anger? Anger is a normal emotion that everyone experiences sometimes. Anger often occurs as a result of other emotions that you are experiencing such as hurt, frustration, disappointment, sadness, fear, shame or annoyance. Anger often happens when you feel that you have lost control over something, think you have been treated unfairly, or didn't get something you wanted. Anger can be directed toward yourself because of something you did or didn't do. It can also be directed toward others as a result of your interactions with them. The body typically responds to anger in preparation for responding to the situation. Adrenaline increases, the heart beats faster, blood pressure rises, and muscles become tense. In the short term, this can help us prepare for a challenge or maintain our safety. When these levels are chronically elevated, it can lead to health problems.

How is anger handled? Anger can be handled in either a healthy or unhealthy way. When anger is handled in a healthy way, it can give you the energy and motivation needed to get things done. When anger is handled in an unhealthy way, it can lead to physical problems, relationship problems, stress, poor judgment, crime, and even physical harm.