Anger management in adult-child relationships
Principle 20
❖ Anger can be exhausting
All strong emotions, even positive ones like joy and excitement are stressful. Both fear and anger are associated with the release of adrenaline into the brain. Too much adrenaline can exhaust the capacity of the brain to manage stress. Fatigue, illness, and chronic pain can follow.
Three physical systems can be affected.
The cardiovascular system (blood and heart) is associated with headaches, high blood pressure, and heart attack.
The skeletal-muscular system is associated with headache, fatigue, and back pain.
The gastrointestinal system is associated with stomach upset, stomach ulcers, and diarrhea.
Each person's body can respond to chronic anger in different ways. One person can develop ulcers, the other chronic headaches.
#10. Anger’s impact on my body.
Consider how your body reacts to anger. What system is the most likely to be affected when you are angry, especially if you remain angry over time? Make a list in your journal of the physical reactions you have to anger.
Next: Principle 21: Anger can become destructive
