Stage 2 _ Unit 1 _ How do you control your anger?

[nanu]

Unit 1_본문.hwp

What Makes You So Angry?

One day, Hercules saw an object the size of an apple on the street. He yelled, “How dare you block my way?” and kicked it angrily. Suddenly, the object became as big as a watermelon. “What in the world?” said Hercules, and began to hit it with his metal club. Then, the object became so big that it blocked the entire street. Athena, who had been watching this, came down next to the object and played music. Surprisingly, the object became as small as an apple again. Athena told Hercules, who was completely shocked by all of this, “That object is like the anger inside you. The more you provoke it, the bigger it becomes.”

Are you famous for your short temper? Do you find yourself getting into frequent arguments and fights? Anger is a normal and healthy emotion. When you have been mistreated, it is perfectly normal to feel angry. It only becomes a problem when anger explodes all the time or easily gets out of control. Explosive anger can have serious consequences for your relationships, your health, and your state of mind.

If you have a hot temper, you may feel like there is little you can do to control it. In fact, controlling your anger is easier than you might think. With some effective anger management technique, you can learn how to express your feelings in healthier ways and keep your temper from getting out of control. When you are able to control yourself and act appropriately, you will not only feel better about yourself but also keep your relationships strong.

Anger Management Tips

First of all, you have to be aware of the warning signs. Sometimes you may feel that you just explode in anger. The truth is that there are physical signs before this happens. Your heart beats faster to pump more oxygen and sugar into your bloodstream. Your breathing becomes more rapid, your blood pressure rises, and your muscles become tense. The angrier you get, the more your body gets tense. You should become aware of your own personal signs that you are about to lose your temper. When you do, you will be able to take steps to manage your anger before it gets out of control.

Secondly, it is important to identify the negative thoughts that make you angry. You may think that external things ㅡ for instance, the rude or inconsiderate actions of other people ㅡ are what causes your anger. However, your anger is more likely to be caused by how you interpret the situation rather than external factors. For example, you may think that people NEVER consider your needs, and that they ALWAYS disrespect you. Also, you may think that when something goes wrong, it is always someone else’s fault.

Finally, when you start getting upset over something, take a moment to really think about the situation. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How important is it when you look at the big picture?

• Is it really worth getting angry about?

• Does my response match the situation?

If you have decided that the situation is worth getting angry about, the key is to express your feelings in a healthy way. When expressed respectfully, anger can be a tremendous source of energy and inspiration for change.

Food for Thought

Have you ever gotten into an argument over something silly? Big fights often happen over something small, like being ten minutes late. Yet there is usually a bigger issue behind it. If you find your anger rapidly rising, ask yourself, “What am I really angry about?” Identifying the real problem will help you understand your feelings better.

Also, you should avoid bringing up what happened in the past into the current argument. You may do this when you become very emotional in the middle of an argument. However, this does not help solve the situation, but actually makes it worse. Rather than looking to the past and assigning blame, focus on what you can do in the present to figure out a solution.

Expressing your anger in a healthy way can become easier if you follow this advice. You should also try to figure out your own ways to control and express your anger better. So remember: Do not let your anger get out of control. Tame it and use it to your advantage!