Anger Management is an important treatment for those experiencing problems controlling strong emotions such as anger. A recent article in Psychology Today lists six ways to communicate anger “without destroying relationships.” For those in the West Side Cleveland area, schedule a group or individual consultation with us today.
Some cultures are perceived as tending to be extremely direct — think New Yorkers, for example. What you see is oftentimes what you get. If you’re from an environment where people don’t tend to communicate this way, a direct communication style may seem harsh and rude.
Other cultures are seen as more indirect. Many perceive the French communication style as typically passive-aggressive. In parts of the Southern or Midwestern U.S., propriety is valued over directness. People tend to act more congenially. However, where the culture tends to value being “nice” more, you also have to handle the “ice” more.
Fundamentally, though, neither of these approaches necessarily leads to the constructive results you want.
When you are angry, you need to express it. But both aggressive and passive-aggressive behaviors will drive people further away from you. Here’s what to try instead:
1. Tune in to what’s really going on, and become self-aware.
If you’re fuming, wait it out. Though you’ll be in a hurry to dish your frustration out (directly or indirectly) to someone’s face, or in a text or email, your communication won’t come out right. When we’re angry, that’s all we can think about — our brain is hijacked. We know that when the emotion centers of the brain are highly active, we have a harder time thinking logically. Cool your flames, and you’ll see more clearly and communicate more effectively. Breathe, take a walk, distract yourself with a funny movie, meditate, exercise, pray — anything to help you regain composure and perspective.
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