Managing Anger by Amy Grand BSc. Psych; HPD; DSfH Clinical Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist Bridge Hypnotherapy Have you ever been stuck in traffic? What’s your reaction? Do you happily sit there waiting for the cars to move, thinking how lucky you are to have a little break in your day, or do you start to feel your blood boiling and your heart racing? Do you feel anger brewing? It is likely that the latter is true. Many of us feel intense anger and often anxiety when we get stuck in traffic. This might be because we are supposed to be somewhere at a specific time, or perhaps we just don’t want to waste time. Whichever is true, it is likely that the anger we feel does not help. Cursing the traffic, whether under your breath or out loud is not going to make it move any faster. Our intellectual, logical mind knows this and if this part of our brain was in control, it is unlikely that the anger would develop. However, for many people
getting stuck in traffic triggers the primitive emotional part of our brain. The part that throws out logic and engages the ‘fight or flight’ response. This response floods our brain with adrenaline and cortisol (frequently referred to as the stress hormone). These chemicals are useful when we are under attack but not helpful when we are stuck in traffic. So why does this happen? It is likely that this negative response to being stuck in traffic has developed from a negative experience of being late. This may have happened only once, but it is enough for the brain to develop a template which tells us that we never want to be late again. Every time something happens that triggers this template, we have the same response, and over time this response becomes worse as every time it
is repeated it strengthens that negative template; eventually we are stuck in a vicious cycle. This is called ‘pattern matching’ – our brains will recognise similar things and match them to previous experience triggering the same response. Fortunately, we can break the cycle. By recognising that the anger is there and is not helpful to us, our intellectual, logical brain is able to take back the control. This takes time and practice, but it is possible. By recognising what we have control over and what we don’t, we can change our response. We do not have control over the traffic, but we do have control over how we think about the traffic! You can apply this technique to any situation that makes you feel angry or anxious to bring about a positive change in the way you react.
Polzeath Area Residents’ Association Hospital Car Transport Service If you need transport to hospital or your doctor’s surgery, please ring one of our volunteer drivers: David Pullen 01208 881148 Bridget Pullen 01208 881148 Elizabeth Dorich 01840 770225 Ricardo Dorich 01840 770225 Andrew Holmes 01208 840028 Peter Watson 01208 862452 Jacqui Watson 01208 862452
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Susan Andrews 01208 880816 Graham Andrews 01208 880816 Julien Wenger 01208 863569 Anne Wenger 01208 863569 Charges are 45p per mile measured from the drivers’ home and back. Charges exclude bridge toll and hospital parking charges.
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