This article is part of a series that will help you get a better understanding of anger management.
Anger Test
Anger is normal human emotion. It is healthy when controlled. Human beings rarely act by physically expressing anger. We have language hence we tend to use verbal abuse when we have lost control of our anger. In extreme cases, physical rage is displayed if anger is not controlled. This reaction to feelings of anger can lead to problems with family members and work place.
Anger is an emotion accompanied by physiological and biological changes. Your heart rate and blood pressure go up when you are angry. In addition your energy hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline, will increase.
A person could be angry at a specific person or event or anger may be caused by worrying about the personal problems. Memories or enraging events can cause angry feelings. The danger is that your feelings of anger will be expressed aggressively. In the extreme case, this could result in fights and the need to defend yourself if others attack you in response to your angry outburst. We can not physically attack every person or object that irritates us or annoys us. Norms of social behavior should be followed. There are three main approaches to anger: - expressing it, suppressing it, and learning how to calm it. When you express your feelings in controlled but assertive manner, this is healthiest way. It is difficult to do this. You need to know your needs, how to get them met, without hurting others. It means being respectful to yourself and others. When anger is suppressed, it is not allowed outward expression and it can turn inward on you. It may cause hypertension, high blood pressure or depression.
The test that measures the heart's response to anger and mental stress is an anger test. It helps to identify people who are at risk of having a heart attack as per researchers report. Scientists found that patients with higher level of anger also face problem of reduced oxygen supply to heart muscle (Ischemia). This increases the risk of heart attack. Ischemia is measured when people are doing exercises or it is treadmill test. But people never face ischemia when they are exercising. It may happen when people spend more of their time in mentally stressed state. Anger has to be a risk factor for heart disease. A survey has shown that people who reported high levels of anger were more likely to have ischemia. Women are more affected by this than men. But it does not mean that men do not get as angry as women. Men often underestimate their anger. So anger control may help to reduce the risk of heart attack. So an anger test confirms the importance of emotions contributing to physical disease.
I hope this article provided you with the information and understanding you were looking for.
Brian Waybridge, the author of this article, learnt how to come to terms with his own anger and now enjoys positive relationships with his family, friends and colleagues.