Information AboutAnger |
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Anger is a an Emotion . It is a Psychophysiological response to Pain , perceived Suffering or distress, or Threat thereof, which has been uncalled for or unjustly brought upon oneself or others, at least from a subjective viewpoint. A threat may be real, discussed, or imagined. Anger is often a response to the Perception of threat due to a physical Conflict , Injustice , Negligence , Humiliation , or Betrayal . Anger may be expressed actively or passively. In the case of "active" emotion, the angry person "lashes out" verbally or physically at a target. When anger is a "passive" emotion, it is often characterized by silent sulking, Passive-aggressive Behavior , hostility, and tension. Anger can also be caused as Irritation escalates during exposure to an Annoyance . Humans often experience anger Empathetically . For example, after reading about others being treated injustly, one may experience anger, even though she/he is not the victim. Anger is usually magnified and lasts longer when a cognitive decision is made about the intent of the individual inflicting the pain. In other words, if one decides the pain infliction was intentional or deliberate, the emotion is usually more intense. PREDISPOSITION Common factors that predispose one to anger include Fatigue , Hunger , Pain , Suffering , Sexual Frustration , Stress , recovery from an illness, Puberty , Childbirth , or the use of certain Drug s. Hormonal changes associated with PMS or Menopause may also be factors. Psychological disorders such as physical Withdrawal , Bipolar Disorder , Borderline Personality Disorder , and various other emotional disorders or situational behaviors also contribute. Research suggests some individuals may be genetically predisposed to higher levels of anger than others. However, when comparing generational behaviors to adult role model responses to anger, the primary caregivers appear to have a much larger influence in "predisposition" to anger than genetics. PHYSIOLOGICAL PROGRESSION OF ANGER Neuroscience has shown that emotions are generated by multiple structures in the is responsible for identifying threats and reacting accordingly to initiate action within the body. The left prefrontal cortex has also been identified as a brain region involved in activating anger and its associated motivations and behaviors (for reviews, see Harmon-Jones, 2003, 2004). The evidence showing that the left prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in activating anger challenges older views that the PFC is only involved in down-regulating negative emotion, but much new evidence supports the role of the left PFC in activating angry behaviors (Halász, Tóth, Kalló, Liposits, & Haller, 2006; Lotze, Veit, Anders, & Birbaumer, 2007). The action of the Amygdala causes the body's muscles tense up. Inside the brain, Neurotransmitter chemicals known as Catecholamine s are released, causing an increase in Energy that generally lasts several minutes. Heart rate increases, Blood Pressure rises, the rate of breathing increases. The face may flush as increased blood flow enters the limbs and extremities in preparation for physical action. In quick succession, additional brain neurotransmitters and the Hormones Adrenaline , and Noradrenaline are released. The emotional progression to Rage is usually mitigated by reason and logic. Gaining control anger essentially relates to the ability to learn ways to control anger. In accordance with the physiological progression of anger there needs to be a wind-down phase as well. The body will start to relax back towards its resting state when the target of the anger is no longer accessible or an immediate threat. It is difficult to relax from an angry state within a short time, this is on account of the adrenaline-caused arousal that occurs during anger. This invariably lasts a substantial time (many hours, potentially days), during which time the anger threshold is lowered, making it easier for the person become angered. GENETIC PREDISPOSITION At the end of the 19th Century , Sigmund Freud , the father of Psychoanalysis , argued that individuals are born with an innate loving instinct. However, anger and hostility arise when the individual's need for love is unmet, frustrated, or hindered. In 1998 the American Psychological Association and the American Anthropological Association reviewed the available research and concluded that people are not genetically predisposed to Violence , and that violence cannot be scientifically related to natural evolutionary processes. At the beginning of the , has begun to pinpoint specific genes that increase the risk of socially harmful behavior such as aggressiveness, antisocial behavior, suicide, drug abuse, etc. Simultaneously, the impact of inadequate love, security, and role models are also being researched more extensively. It is the general consensus among psychologists that a combination of nature and nurture is involved in the manifestation of anger, and therefore that neither should be ignored. RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ANGER
DEALING WITH ANGER There are various strategies for dealing with anger. Some address individual episodes of anger, and others address an on-going tendency toward anger. Dealing with each instance of anger represents a choice. The basic alternatives are: Emotional Competency Entry describing paths of anger
Other strategies address on-going tendencies toward anger. In the 1960s and 1970s , theories about dealing with anger in a therapeutic process were based upon expressing the feelings through action. This ranged from pillow hitting strategies to radical and extreme therapies such as Scream Therapy . Scream therapy is a treatment in which patients stand in a room and simply scream for hours on end, supposedly relieving the tension or feelings spawned from the initial anger. However, these techniques actually do nothing to prevent anger from taking hold. Research in scream therapy has shown that patients who have undergone this treatment actually suffer from increased anger management problems. This is understandable since modern research into neuroplasticity shows that the more we exercise a brain area (the areas involved with anger in this example) the more efficient that area becomes. |
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