Do you find that you get angry very easily and that afterwards you feel terrible; really guilty and ashamed? Do you worry that one day your ‘short fuse’ could land you in trouble?
Anger is one of the most powerful emotions you can feel. It can completely take you over and cause rows, fighting, raging and other very destructive behaviour. It can damage relationships, careers, and whole lives because it can have very serious, even irreversible consequences.
When you feel angry chemical changes in the brain cause powerful physical effects. Your body releases adrenalin which in turn releases a surge of energy, making you stronger, faster and more violent than you could ever imagine when you are feeling normal.
Feeling angry is a natural response and sometimes it can be appropriate for example when we witness injustice or cruelty. A constructive reaction would be to focus our anger into making changes, doing something about it! Anger can be a problem when it is an overreaction or when it makes you feel out of control and behave in an out of control way.
If children are angry with friends or at school this can have consequences for friendships, their self esteem, their ability to socialise and can even lead to school exclusion and so damage their education and life chances.
Social anxiety is one of the main causes of destructive anger. When people feel that they are being judged they will react with anger.