Stress and Anger

In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.

Lee Iacocca

We have repeatedly been taught that ‘stress’ is a healthy emotion, and so is ‘anger’.  So, what then is the link between stress and anger?  And why do both these terms have negative connotations?

Studies suggest that there is increasing evidence of the rise in the levels of stress people experience – work, relationships and finances being the main contributors.  Other studies suggest that anger too is on the increase – road rage, trolley rage, schools, workplace and football pitches, being examples.

These two emotions are common for everyone, irrespective of gender, age, backgrounds, cultures, religions, etc.

It is common for anger to follow on from stress and for stress to result from being angry, but does this have to be the case, or can we be taught to distinguish the two emotions and be able to control them separately.  They need to be channeled for positive outcomes and results, as they can both be very destructive.

As stress and anger are or can be linked, emotionally and mentally, it is also true that the effects on the body are similar too, whether perceived or real.  The physiological responses, such as shallow breathing are common in both, e.g.

• Increase in heart rate and blood pressure - this forces blood to areas of the body that need it during activity

• Slowing down of digestion - blood is diverted to the brain and muscles

•  Increase in respiration - more oxygen is delivered to the muscles

• Increase perspiration - to cool the body

• Increase in muscle tone - to prepare for action. 


• Increase in blood clotting - to prepare for injury. 


• Increase in levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol - both adrenaline and noradrenaline will increase the heart rate, and cortisol prepares the body for physical activity

 

As human beings, we are programmed to cope with the demands that stress and anger can have on us physically and psychologically, however, the frequency and duration of these episodes can lead to more serious symptoms, e.g:

Short term effects:

Physical 


• headaches


• gastrointestinal problems

• aches and pains


• trembling

• sweating

• insomnia

• elevated blood pressure

• compromised immune system

Psychological

• panic attacks

• anxiety

• aggression

• depression

• poor concentration

• feeling helpless

• lack of confidence

• withdrawal from social activities

Long term effects:

 Physical 


• stomach ulcers (due to elevated cortisol levels) 


• an increased risk of acquiring opportunistic infections (some authorities will include cancer) 


• hypertension


• heart attack (myocardial infarction)

• stroke (cerebrovascular incident) 


Psychological

• chronic depression

• mental breakdown

As stress and anger are seen as healthy emotions, they can and need to be utilised productively to help us achieve beneficial and helpful results and outcomes, thereby preventing the negative effects on our minds and bodies. 

For more information on how you or your company can effectively manage anger, call us on 0800 999 8353, info@lcch.co.uk

Or to talk to someone in your area:

Scotland: +44 141 333 0878

Southwest England: +44 7761 773563

Midlands and Southeast England: +44 203 603 8535

Northern England: +44 7812 196 798

Southeast Asia: + 603 7960 6439

Portugal: +351 933 713 223

Feisal Umar FBSCH

Director of Studies, LCCH 

www.lcch.co.uk

More Anger Management Tips for you to Try

Managing your anger requires time and effort. Being able to take time out, go for a run, or push some weights in the gym may not be appropriate steps to take when, for example, you are having an argument with your boss. These tips can help you diffuse anger rapidly and allow you to cool down in the heat of the moment.

Be mindful of the physical sensations of anger. 

This seemingly contradictory advice allows you do reduce the emotional intensity of anger. By focussing on the physical you get distracted from the emotional and can take control by beginning to relax muscles and breath more deeply.

Breathe deeply. 

Deep, slow breathing through your nose helps reduce tension. Breathing in through your nose down into your abdomen and breathing out again through your mouth allows you to begin to relax a little.

Imagine a peaceful, tranquil scene. Take advantage of your creative mind and imagine yourself somewhere pleasant. Use every sense to create a real image in your mind as you begin to relax.

Become your own masseur. 

Feeling tense in your neck and scalp? Massage that tension away by firmly yet gently rubbing the affected muscles. Roll your shoulders to release the tension and slowly look from side to side as you stretch out your neck muscles.

Count up your rational mind. 

Counting engages your rational mind. In your mind, slowly count from one to ten, preferably counting each number on your out-breath as that will help you relax too.

Step back from the situation and reappraise.

Be honest and ask yourself the following: “In the grand scheme of things, how important is this?”, “Is this issue worth getting angry over?”, “Is my response appropriate in this situation?”, “How can I handle this in a different way?”.

The more you practice anger management techniques, the more effective they become, and the more appropriate your responses will be to a wide variety of situations. Of course, if you still struggle after practicing then perhaps it’s time to be honest with yourself and go seek some professional advice.

For more information on how you or your company can effectively manage anger, call us on 

Or to talk to someone in your area:

Scotland: +44 141 333 0878

Southwest England: +44 7761 773563

Midlands and Southeast England: +44 203 603 8535

Northern England: +44 7812 196 798

Southeast Asia: + 603 7960 6439

Portugal: +351 933 713 223

Peter Mabbutt FBSCH
Vice-Principal, LCCH 

www.lcch.co.uk

From the Therapists Couch: Explosive Anger!

Anger as we all know is a very natural response to feelings of being attacked or deceived, frustrated or treated unfairly, from a personal perspective. Everyone gets angry at sometime, it is just part of being human. While it is often seen as a 'bad' emotion, isn't always, in fact it can be useful, it is designed to help us defend ourselves from dangerous situations by providing a rush or burst of high volatility and energy.

If only all that emotional energy could just be focused, but how to do it?

The first really big step is to recognise that, despite all the evidence to the contrary, in between the stimulus and the response, there is indeed a tiny gap where control or choice is possible.

This ‘gap’ small though it is, offers both the therapist and the patient the opportunity to develop a change in behaviour, working collaboratively, and with understanding, new patterns of behaviour can be learned.

Recognising anger, and acknowledging it, and owning it, and then taking responsible for it and its power, help us all to see it for what it is, often something that has started as a defence that has become dysfunctional and is now in danger of causing disastrous consequences.

Having trained to work with all sorts of presenting conditions, it is a common occurrence to face patients with anger management issues. Some are outwardly aggressive and verbally abusive. Others take it out on themselves inwardly focusing their anger becoming isolated and denying themselves the things most people would consider ‘normal’ basic needs. While others are passively aggressive, and act out  their non conformity, in a sulky or sarcastic way, while not doing anything explicitly angry or aggressive.

Something that I find really useful is a simple demonstration of the violent anger which can be easily understood, as a metaphor or analogy, and used both in trance or out.

“So, how would it be, if … I take this bottle of Coke, and”… (giving  it a good shake) pass it to my patient … who is looking a little bemused … “ask you to open it…. Open it now! … What will happen?”

Think about it, what would happen?

Anger, when it explodes is a lot like the bottle of Coke … it can be totally uncontrollable it can affect everyone in close proximity, and of course it will impact on who ever is holding it.

This wonderful analogy is a strong and demonstrable piece of impact therapy, which when used within the therapy room can help really make a point.

Timing is crucial, but as any good hypnotherapist knows it is easy to use the idea both physically in wakeful state, with an actual bottle of Coke (other fizzy drinks are available) but much better in the trance state to create deeper and more powerful suggestions for change, where the analogy can continue.

What happens when the bottle is left for a while to “rest” ?

What happens when the bottle is given the chance to “breathe?”

Eventually, the bottle can open up, and the contents enjoyed, and with the fun and effervescence, all under control.

So, perhaps the question is how to avoid the unsettling, and the shaking up?

 

That is the easy bit, because once we know what needs to change and have made a commitment to do it, we are already halfway there.

Training with the London College of Clinical Hypnosis which teaches self hypnosis as the first step, followed with symptom recognition, and when stress management is added the important tools just need to be mastered and regularly practiced, with more training all the symptoms can be dealt with and new behaviours learned.

There is a great hand-out from Mind “How to deal with anger” with lots of support and helpful advise which can be downloaded online: www.mind.org.uk

For more information on how you or your company can effectively manage anger, call us on 0800 999 8353, info@lcch.co.uk

Or to talk to someone in your area:

Scotland: +44 141 333 0878

Southwest England: +44 7761 773563

Midlands and Southeast England: +44 203 603 8535

Northern England: +44 7812 196 798

Southeast Asia: + 603 7960 6439

Portugal: +351 933 713 223

Michelle Hague FBSCH
Centre Manager Sourthwest England

www.lcch.co.uk

Tips to Tame your Anger!

Keeping calm when provoked isn’t always as straight forward as it appears. Being able to manage your anger is a skill that everyone can learn. And no, anger management isn’t simply a means by which you internalise and supress your rage, rather it’s a means of acknowledging it, taking control of it, and safely defusing the rage. Remember: uncontrolled anger can take a terrible toll on both your health and your relationships. These 10 tips can help you to get your anger under control and perhaps boost your health too:

1. Engage brain before vocal cords

In the heat of any argument it’s easy to let your mouth run away with the situation, shooting off statements and accusations that later you regret. Take a few slow deep breaths, pause and collect your thoughts for a few moments before saying anything. And remember to allow others involved in the situation to do the same too.

2. Keep calm and calmly express your anger

As soon as you're thinking clearly, express your how you feel in an assertive and nonconfrontational way. Slow deep breaths help. Acknowledge what others are saying, then state your concerns and needs clearly and directly, without hurting others or trying to control them: “ I hear what you say, but this is how I feel…”

3. Work it out

Regular physical activity can help burn off the excess neurotransmitters and hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol that are fuelling your anger.  When anger rears its ugly head, go for a brisk walk or run, or spend some time doing other enjoyable physical activities. Regular exercise helps your body to manage and regulate adrenaline and cortisol more effectively. At the same time, you produce higher levels of the ‘happy hormones’ called endorphins that will help give you the feel good factor and dampen down the anger. 

4. Step away

During the day, give yourself short breaks, especially during stressful times. Moments away from the routine help you to reset your mood and prepare to handle situations more calmly and assertively.

5. Focus on a solution, not a problem

Learn to shift your focus of attention away from what made you mad as hell, and begin to think about working on a resolution instead. Remind yourself that anger won't fix anything and might only make it worse.

6. Make 'I' statements

Playing the blame game only aggravates situations. Use "I" statements to describe the problematic situation whilst being respectful to those involved. For example, say, "I'm upset that you left work without offering to help with the backlog of orders that have piled up" instead of, "You never help or put yourself out to help others! "

7. Keep the Grudge Grinch in its place

Learn to forgive as it’s a powerful tool. Anger leaves no room for positive feelings that can be pushed out of the way as you get swallowed up with bitterness and the perceived injustice of a situation. Learn to forgive and let go. After all, it is unrealistic to expect everyone to exactly how you want them to be.

8. Use the Laughing Gnome to release tension

Resist the temptation to descend into sarcasm. Work on ways of lightening things up with some appropriate humour. In this way, you can help diffuse tension, melt away resentment and lift your own mood too.

9. Practice relaxation skills

Relaxation and anger are totally incompatible bedfellows. Learn to recognise the signs of rising anger within you. When it does rear its ugly head, you can vanquish it through the practice of a variety of exercises such as:

• Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; breathing from your chest won't relax you. Picture your breath coming up from your "gut." 
• Slowly repeat a calm word or phrase such as "relax," "calm," “peace.” Repeat it to yourself while breathing deeply into and out of your abdominal region. 
• Use imagery; imagine a relaxing experience. It doesn’t matter if it’s based in reality, or simply a figment of your imagination. As you imagine it, so the feelings associated with that place can manifest in your body, turning down the anger. 
• Learn some stretching exercises, or go to yoga or Tai Chi classes. These non-strenuous exercises help you to relax your muscles and make you feel much calmer.

10. Know when to seek help

If your anger really is out of control, then go and see an experienced therapist who can help take you by the hand and teach you how to become a calmer person.

For more information on how you or your company can effectively manage anger, call us on 0800 999 8353, info@lcch.co.uk

Or to talk to someone in your area:

Scotland: +44 141 333 0878

Southwest England: +44 7761 773563

Midlands and Southeast England: +44 203 603 8535

Northern England: +44 7812 196 798

Southeast Asia: + 603 7960 6439

Portugal: +351 933 713 223

Peter Mabbutt FBSCH
Vice-Principal, LCCH 

www.lcch.co.uk

Anger Awareness Week

Today marks the start of Anger Awareness Week, so we at the LCCH thought that we would spend the week exploring anger, highlighting statistics around it’s prevalence whilst also providing some all-important anger management tips.

It’s worth remembering that anger can be positive, motivational and appropriate in many situations. It is, after all, an adaptive survival response that allows us to respond to situations where we face a threat to our physical well-being. However, when expressed out of context it can become a liability.

Anger is expressed on a continuum with calm being the starting point, and blind rage topping the scale. Most people experience graded anger that falls somewhere between these two extremes. Overtly angry people don't, however. Their experience is polemic with no happy medium. They also have difficulty in recognising when they are in a state of anger too. For some, the anger is consistent, simmering away below the surface tainting their everyday lives and the lives of those around them. 

Let’s begin with two simple questions: how do you know if you are an angry person? Can you tell the difference between being genuinely upset and having a real anger management problem? Here’s some pointers to help you find out whether you need to take stock of your anger and do something about it:

Impatient and Interrupting

Angry people have little patience. They often interrupt during conversations as they find difficulty in waiting for others to complete what they are saying. Even when they do let others finish, they sometimes fidget, pretend to listen, whilst not necessarily paying attention to the conversation.

Moan, moan, moan!

People who constantly complain with undue venom about others, who are excessively vehement in their condemnation of politics, sport and life for example, often have a deep wellspring of seething anger that gets projected towards any perceived indiscretions. Rarely is this anger aimed at its source which may well have been lost in the mists of time. 

Holding on to the Grudge Grinch

Never letting go or forgiving someone is a warning sign that anger is bubbling away under the surface. For the overtly angry, past conflicts are never allowed resolution and are kept constantly at the forefront of their mind. The memory becomes distorted and generalised, stoking the flames of anger as they relive the frustration, pain, and resentment each time they recall the wrong - whether it’s real or simply perceived.

Radiating Rage

Our skin is said to be an outward expression of inner turmoil, reflecting our inner emotional state in a way that is sometimes difficult to hide. The classic red-faced angry cartoon character is an exaggeration of the physiological responses to anger. Blood rushes to the face as a visual warning to "back off!" Muscles tense, adrenaline flows, respiration rate rises, and the heart pumps faster. All well and good if you only feel anger occasionally. But so much more of a liability if you are constantly angry. Numerous studies have shown that angry people are more likely to have high blood pressure and to suffer a stroke or heart attack.

Sensitive Souls

Angry people are always hyper vigilant as they monitor their surroundings and the people that inhabit their environment. Throw away comments that most would pay little or no attention to are like a red rag to a bull for a person of an angry disposition. Quick to take offence, they lash out seemingly for no reason. 

Sharing the Schadenfreude

Angry people display a lack of compassion and empathy. Quick to condemn and slow to praise, some revel in the schadenfreude phenomena: taking an inordinate amount of pleasure in the misfortune of others

As a final pointer, here is a list of common physiological and psychological signs of anger. Take note, be aware, and don't let grind anger you down

Facing up to the Physical

Some physical signs of anger include: 

• clenching your jaws or grinding your teeth 
• headache 
• stomach ache 
• increased and rapid heart rate 
• sweating, especially your palms 
• feeling hot in the neck/face 
• shaking or trembling 
• dizziness 

Emotionally you may feel: 

• like you want to get away from the situation 
• irritated 
• sad or depressed 
• guilty 
• resentful 
• anxious 
• like striking out verbally or physically 

Also, you may notice that you are: 

• rubbing your head 
• cupping your fist with your other hand 
• pacing 
• getting sarcastic 
• losing your sense of humor 
• acting in an abusive or abrasive manner 
• craving a drink, a smoke or other substances that relax you 
• raising your voice 
• beginning to yell, scream, or cry

For more information on how you or your company can effectively manage anger, call us on 0800 999 8353, info@lcch.co.uk

Or to talk to someone in your area:

Scotland: +44 141 333 0878

Southwest England: +44 7761 773563

Midlands and Southeast England: +44 203 603 8535

Northern England: +44 7812 196 798

Southeast Asia: + 603 7960 6439

Portugal: +351 933 713 223

Peter Mabbutt FBSCH
Vice-Principal, LCCH 

www.lcch.co.uk

Vaping: a Gateway to Cigarettes?

Those who know me well will know that ‘vaping’, or the smoking of e-cigarettes, is one of my bête noir’s. I make no excuse for taking the stance that I do against it. Of course, I acknowledge that the use of e-cigarettes is a potentially safer alternative to smoking, but we must remember that it is not safe! I find it concerning when I see some in the medical profession advocating its use - and of course, there are many within the profession who don’t and hold similar views to my own.

To reinforce the somewhat insidious nature of vaping, it now appears that vaping is potentially a gateway drug to cigarettes for teenagers. It has been known for years that just as many teens as ever have, despite health education, been taking up smoking, with an increasing number starting to vape. Social pressure and looking cool are just some of the potential reasons why they do it - not forgetting the rebellion factor either (we all remember what it was like to be a teenager…).

Following a survey carried out in South Carolina of around 300 high school eleventh and twelfth graders who had never smoked tobacco, it was found that half of them had used e-cigarettes. For those of us who don’t understand the American educational system, these are teenagers with an average age of 17. At the start of the study a questionnaire was filled out that was designed to evaluate whether the teens had ever smoked tobacco or used e-cigarettes.

The researchers restricted their analyses to those who had never smoked cigarettes.

They also assessed for susceptibility to smoke cigarettes, which was defined as the "absence of a firm commitment not to smoke". When questioned about intention to smoke in the future, students who answered "definitely not" were considered "not susceptible".

The researchers also looked at the social acceptability of smoking within the teenagers' social environment, and took sociodemographic factors into consideration too.

The researchers then invited the e-cigarette users and the non-e-cigarette users to complete a follow-up questionnaire 16 months later, matching by gender, ethnicity and grade. In the final count, the study presented findings from 152 non-e-cigarette users and 146 e-cigarette users.

What they found was interesting and potentially disturbing. They reported that e-cigarette users were 6.17 times more likely to start smoking cigarettes than those who never smoked e-cigarettes. They also noted that around 10 percent of those who never smoked were found to have started smoking cigarettes too. It was also found that e-cigarette users were more likely to start using any combustible product, such as hookahs, cigars and pipes.

The researchers concluded that e-cigarette use in teenagers who never smoked may increase the risk of them subsequently starting smoking cigarettes and other combustible products.

And finally, I want to mention another disturbing trend, one that is not mentioned in the report, but one that I have been made aware of. And that is that e-cigarettes themselves are now being used to smoke recreational drugs. Canabinoid extracts and designer highs have all found favour in the underground e-cigarette market. What the implications are of this for the health of users remains to be seen.

Peter Mabbutt FBSCH
Vice-Principal, LCCH





www.lcch.co.uk
 
For those who want to read the original research:
Barrington-Trimis, J. L., Urman, R., Berhane, K., Unger, J. B., Cruz, T. B., Pentz, M. A., Samet JM, Leventhal AM & McConnell, R. (2016). E-Cigarettes and Future Cigarette Use. Pediatrics, 138(1), e20160379.