Radiant Magazine Issue 2

Page 8

emotions

ANGE Anger is, quite simply, a part of life, like happiness and memory. We all have the capacity for it, we recognise it in others, and are exposed to it every day...

We all want and expect certain things in life - fairness, appreciation, respect, co-operation - and are naturally frustrated, disappointed and hurt when we don’t get them. This can lead to anger. Anger ranges from mild annoyance to full-blown rage, but at whatever level, a hormonal stress-reaction is triggered which, if allowed to continue beyond 25 minutes, is physically and emotionally damaging, with potentially lethal results, as it primarily affects Anger used the cardiovascular properly is valid and system. Anger today has necessary for us to moved beyond its defend ourselves. It original role as a causes us to act. survival mechanism, protecting us by forcing us into fight or flight mode, where we decide to stand and fight for our beliefs, or make a quick escape! In Western society it has evolved into something we experience too easily, too quickly, too often, and more importantly, inappropriately. The adrenaline-driven energy, surging through our bodies when we are provoked, has no means of

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release in the way nature intended. We have been taught that it is better to repress, and so we tend to stay on hyper-alert. Anger has other toxic effects on our lives. It can poison relationships and negatively affect work and finances, pleasure, and our outlook on life. Sadly, we can be totally unaware of our deep, hidden anger as irritation and annoyance are so much a habit that we accept them as the norm (perhaps not thinking of them as anger) but that internal frustration seeps out, becoming visible to others. It is not pleasant to be around! Our lifestyles, people we meet, expectations (ours and, and those of others), the daily pressures we experience all serve to provoke the anger reflex. When we feel hard done by, unfairly treated, hurt, or threatened, potentially damaging hormones start to take over our bodies and minds. Anger is just a built in reactionary emotion under subconscious control. However, anger used properly is valid and necessary for us to defend ourselves. It causes us to act. The secret is managing and controlling


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