Anger Management

Counseling Center
University of Cincinnati
I feel
Furious
Spiteful
Grouchy
Frustrated
Enraged
Annoyed
Irritated
Mad
Irate
ANGRY
What is Anger?








Anger is "an emotional state that varies in
intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage."

- Charles Spielberger, PhD
How do you experience anger?
How do you feel it physically
and emotionally?
What changes do you notice in yourself when
you become angry?
__________________
__________________
__________________

Complete the checklist on the next slide.
Anger Symptoms Checklist *
Check off those that apply to you
Physical Symptoms Emotional Symptoms


















Symptoms adapted from the following website:
http://www.lifewatcheap.com/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc
&id=5812&cn=116
Increased heart rate

Muscle tension

Sweating/feeling hot

Shallower/faster
breathing

Clenched jaw

Grinding of teeth

Headache

Stomachache

Shaking or trembling

Dizziness

Want to pace

Feel as though you
need a drink or a cigarette

Feel like crying

Want to yell

Short with others

Anxious

Sad

Guilty

Resentful

Lose sense of humor

Withdraw from others
or shut down
Are there other ways you experience
anger internally?
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
Think about these reactions.

Are they good for youyour health?
your relationships? Your success at
school and in life?
Why do we get angry?
We are predisposed to become angry
when we appraise an event or a person as
a threat to one of our basic needs such as
food or shelter, or more mature needs
such as identity, recognition, achievement,
and social affiliation.
Dr. Weisingers Anger Work-out Book, p. 31
Appraisal
Part of what makes us angry is how we
appraise or interpret situations.

Sometimes we misinterpret situations as
threatening when in actuality they are not.
When do you get angry?


When was the last time
you were angry?

Day/week: _____________________
Time: _________________________
Place: _________________________


What was happening in the hours
before you became angry?
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________

What was your mood before you
became angry?
__________________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________



What occurred right before you
became angry?
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________

Psychologists often call that right before
event a trigger.

The scene has been set by previous
events and your mood, and then
something triggers your response of
anger.
For example, maybe you have had a bad
morninggot up late and felt groggy,
spilled coffee and had to change your
shirt, tired from the day before, a little
worried about a paper you need to
writeand then, the trigger: someone cuts
you off in traffic.
Understanding Triggers
Recognizing there has been a series of
precursors to the anger can reduce the
impact of the trigger.

And, knowing your specific triggers can
help you respond differently when they
occur the next time.
What are your triggers?
__________________________________

__________________________________

__________________________________
Thoughts Matter
Triggers are accompanied by thoughts,
including thoughts that you have so
quickly that they are almost automatic and
you may not even notice them.
Back to your example
What thoughts did you have
about the event just before
becoming angry?
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________

Brainstorming
The thoughts that lead to anger often
involve feeling treated unfairly.

While calm, brainstorm other ways to think
about the situation to help prepare yourself
for the next time it occurs

Replace Maladaptive Thoughts
Instead of Joe did that on purpose to
make me look bad, you might think, Joe is
trying his best, but he still has room to
grow.
Instead of Chris is always late and makes
me wait, you might think, Chris has trouble
being on time; from now on, Ill just meet
her at class.
Now You Try
Usual thought that leads to anger
_______________________________

New way of thinking about it
_______________________________
_______________________________
How Do You Act When Angry?
How do you typically act when angry?
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________

?
Do you
Show it on your face?
Grit your teeth?
Grin?
Turn red?
Criticize the cause of
your anger?
Physically attack the
cause of your anger?
Curse or Swear?
Walk out?
Withdraw from others?


Yell or Shout?
Complain?
Clench your fists?
Make aggressive
gestures?
Threaten others?
Punch or Throw
objects?
Stomp your feet?
Slam doors?
Brood?

Aggression
These are aggressive behaviors.
Aggression and anger are not the same
thing. People act aggressively for a
purpose, such as showing others their
anger, intimidating others, getting a feeling
of relief.
Avoiding
Sometimes people avoid others when they
are angry so they wont show the anger or
take it out on others. This can be helpful
at times, but it can also lead to isolation
and passivity--not dealing with problems,
so never solving them.
What are the Effects of Your
Actions?
What usually occurs after you react to your
own anger?
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
What are the short term effects?
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________

For example:
Do you experience relief?
Do you become angrier? Depressed?
Does your anger influence other situations
you encounter or your interactions with
others?

?
What are the long term effects?

For example:
Do you become angry again in a similar
situation?
Do you continue to experience the same
problem as before?
Are there significant long term effects, such as
lost friendships or jobs, a drinking problem, or a
court appearance?

Negative Aspects of Anger
Anger may lead to muddled thinking or
impulsive action
Anger can cause confusion as to where
the true problem lies
Anger can lead to aggression or
avoidance
** Based on: The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities 2
Secondary Assembly Script 7, Topic 4A, Managing Anger
Can Anger be a Positive?
Although anger is often viewed as a
negative feeling, it can be used in a
positive way
Anger provides cues that there is a problem
Anger provides energy and can help motivate
action
Anger encourages the expression of feelings
** Based on - The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and
Communities 2 Secondary Assembly Script 7, Topic 4A, Managing
Anger
Positive Relief
Anger feels uncomfortable. There are
ways to relieve it that are not destructive.
Taking some time before reacting can be
constructivenot aggression, not
avoidance, just a break before deciding
how to handle things that have led to the
anger.
Time Out
Ways to ease feelings of anger
Take a walk or engage in some other physical activity
Perform a relaxation exercise (e.g. meditation,
progressive relaxation, etc.)
Read a book
Listen to music
Watch television
Talk to or call a friend
Write in your journal
Complete chores
What ideas do you have?

Practicing Relaxation
Progressive relaxation
** Adapted from: The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmond J. Bourne, PhD

Take 3 deep abdominal breaths and imagine the
tension leaving your body as you exhale
Clench your fists and hold for up to 10 seconds (use
this amount of time for each muscle group). Release.
Tighten your biceps. Release.
Tighten your triceps. Release.

Continue to follow the directions above for each muscle
group making sure you include muscles in your face,
shoulders, and core, and continue to breathe deeply.
Practicing Relaxation
You can also envision yourself in a setting
you find peaceful

Make sure you envision the scene in great
detail
You do not have to limit yourself to reality

** Adapted from: The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmond J. Bourne, PhD
Use the Anger
Let anger be your friend. Listen to it.
What is the problem you are
encountering? Is it related to the
preceding situations or moods? Why is
the trigger powerful over you?

What steps can you take to figure out the
problem?
Addressing the Problem
Once you have figured out the problem,
you can figure out how to address it. Do
you need to rearrange your schedule?
Learn time management skills? Talk with
someone about your interactions? End a
bad relationship? Find a major you like
better?
Youre Not Alone
Sometimes things are easy to figure out
and change. Many time, though, its hard.

Consider using the Counseling Center to
help you learn to understand better what
your anger is telling you, and how to make
good changes in your life.
Questions?
If you have any questions you can contact
the Counseling Center

Phone: 556-0648
Location: 316 Dyer Hall
Hours: Monday 9 AM 6 PM
Tuesday 9 AM 7 PM
Wednesday thru Friday 8 AM 5 PM
Website: www.uc.edu/sas/counseling
Counseling Center
We offer
Confidential individual and group counseling to UC
students
Urgent Care walk-in services during business hours
Consultation to faculty, staff, family, and friends
concerned about a student
Workshops and presentations on stress
management, communication, relationships,
balancing demands, and a variety of other topics
Assistance using community resources
References
American Psychological Association:
Psychology Topics
www.apa.org/topics/controlanger.html

Dr. Weisingers Anger Workout Book:
Step-by-Step Methods for Greater
Productivity, Better Relationships, and
Healthier Life
-By Hendrie Weisinger, PhD

References
Lifewatch Employee Assistance Program
www.lifewatch-eap.com

The Society for Safe & Caring Schools &
Communities
www.sacsc.ca

The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook
-By Edmund J. Bourne, PhD