Anger can be an
incredibly damaging force, costing people their jobs, personal relationships, and
even their lives when it gets out of hand. Since everyone experiences
anger, it is important to have constructive approaches to manage it
effectively.
It can be helpful to first understand the
nature of anger. While most are familiar with this emotion, not everyone is
aware of its underlying dynamics.
Anger is a natural
emotion that usually stems from perceived threat or loss. It’s a pervasive
emotion; it affects our body, thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Anger is often
described in terms of its intensity, frequency, duration, threshold, and
expression.
Anger typically
follows a predictable pattern: a cycle. Understanding the cycle of anger can
help us understand our own anger reactions and those of others. It can also
help us in considering the most appropriate response.
The five phases of the anger cycle include trigger,
escalation, crisis, recovery, and depression.
1. The Trigger Phase
The trigger phase
happens when we perceive a threat or loss, and our body prepares to respond. In
this phase, there is a subtle change from an individual’s normal/adaptive state
into a stressed state. Anger triggers differ from person to perso, and can come
from both the environment or from our thought processes.
2. The Escalation Phase
In the escalation
phase, there is the progressive appearance of the anger response. In this
phase, our body prepares for a crisis after perceiving the trigger. This
preparation is mostly physical and is manifested through symptoms like rapid
breathing, increased heart rate, and raised blood pressure. Once the escalation
phase is reached, there is less chance of calming down as this is the phase
where the body prepares for "fight or flight" (to be discussed
later).
3. The Crisis Phase
As previously
mentioned, the escalation phase is progressive, and it is in the crisis phase
that the anger reaction reaches its peak. In the crisis phase, our body is on
full alert, prepared to take action in response to the trigger. During this
phase, logic and rationality may be limited if not impaired because the anger
instinct takes over. In extreme cases, the crisis phase means that a person may
be a serious danger to himself or to other people.
4. The Recovery Phase
The recovery phase
happens when the anger has been spent (or at least controlled), and there is
now a steady return to a person’s normal/adaptive state. In this stage,
reasoning and awareness of one’s self returns. If the right intervention is
applied, the return to normalcy progresses smoothly. However, an inappropriate
intervention can re-ignite the anger and serve as a new trigger.
5. The Depression Phase
The depression phase
marks a return to a person’s normal/adaptive ways. Physically, this stage marks
below-normal vital signs such as heart rate so that the body can recover
equilibrium. A person’s full use of his/her faculties return at this point, and
the new awareness helps a person assess what just occurred. Consequently, this
stage may be marked by embarrassment, guilt, regret, and/or depression.
After the depression
phase is a return to a normal or adaptive phase. A new trigger, however, can
start the entire cycle all over again.
Until next time...
Sheryl Tuchman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
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