If you’re prone to seeing red

Sydney: It is easy to be angry, but it is how we choose to react that shows our strength of character.

SOME of us may have been taught from young that anger is an emotion that must be quelled.

Shame too may have led to the suppression of this emotion, thus causing a chain reaction of negative effects commonly known as the aggression cycle. A healthy expression of anger, however, is vital to our mental and physical well-being, and our emotional growth. The emphasis lies in the word “healthy”.

Environmental influences may have conditioned our subconscious self to respond to this powerful emotion in negative ways, such as through passive aggression, hostility and worst of all, violence. Recognising that these behaviours are an unhealthy coping mechanism is crucial.

When managed well, anger can be used as a powerful tool for motivation, providing the drive to solve difficult problems and conquer inevitable obstacles. It can help us discover our values and improve the relationships with those around us.

So, how should we deal with this inner inferno when ignited? To answer this, let us circle back to the aggression cycle, which is used to define an anger episode by three phases: buildup, explosion and aftermath.

The buildup phase is kickstarted by a series of sparks, such as provocation, personal triggers and built-up microaggressions caused by prolonged suppression of emotion.

If this phase is allowed to continue, the explosion phase follows, manifested in the form of verbal or physical aggression.

The repercussions are then characterised by the aftermath phase, where we come face to face with the short- and long-term consequences of our outbursts.

Thus, to cope with anger better, it is recommended that we take these steps:

Recognising your triggers

1. When we do some personal reflection, we may realise that most of our anger does not stem from the situation that we encounter. Rather, it is a series of bottled-up microaggressions, or a secondary response to primary emotions like stress and anxiety. By identifying these seemingly insignificant frustrations, we could prevent a potential misstep into the explosion phase, minimising the chances of escalation.

Stepping back

2. Tense situations can be unavoidable. For example, when a superior lashes out at you for no apparent reason, you may be tempted to offer an uncouth comment, or verbally strike back. Such actions, however, only lead to the aftermath phase, worsening your current predicament.

If you ever find yourself in a dispute, consider stepping back and cooling off in a separate location, while ordering your thoughts. As you calm down, you are in a better position to form a rational solution and response, thus avoiding a fully-formed quarrel.

Food feeds the soul, so feed it well

3. To prevent these emotional outbursts or minimise the effects of the explosive phase, taking care of what we put into our bodies could prove worthwhile. Load up your plate with dopamine-boosting foods like leafy greens, fish and eggs.

A study conducted by the University of Southern California in the United States showed that a diet high in trans-fatty acids is directly linked to increased bouts of aggression; trans fat interferes with the body’s ability to metabolise Omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient proven by research for lowering aggression.

Move your body, not your mouth

4. Fitness assists in improving not only our physical health, but also ways of channelling our anger. For instance, aerobic exercises such as a simple jog help to alleviate stress triggers by burning off excess energy and exercising the pulmonary system, thus lowering blood pressure and altering our moods positively.

Whenever you feel as if you’re on the brink of a breakdown, try going for a brisk walk or picking up that skipping rope!

Don’t be afraid to seek emotional support

5. Having been through several aftermath phases, I have found that what helps me to keep my own emotions at bay is realising how they affect those around me.

Just like fire, anger is hard to contain and easily spread. It not only burns the aggressor, but those around the person as well.

By speaking to trusted family members and friends, I discovered my negative behavioural patterns that I couldn’t piece together myself, and received feedback on how to improve.

By reflecting on my explosive emotions, coupled with an external perspective, I’m able to better rationalise my next move before the fuse ignites.

All in all, managing this volatile emotion is not a linear process. It takes self-awareness, practice and patience.

By analysing our aggression cycles and implementing these strategies when we find ourselves in each of the three phases, we can gain control over anger to improve our quality of life.

Remember, it is easy to be angry, but it is how we choose to react that shows our strength of character.

Sydney, 19, a student in Kuala Lumpur, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. To join Star-NiE’s online youth community, go to facebook.com/niebrats.

Now that you have read the article, test your understanding by carrying out the following English language activities.

1. To “see red” is to be very angry. It is an idiom used to express anger. Here are three other anger-related idioms:

> to bite someone’s head off

> to go ballistic

> to blow one’s top

Look in today’s copy of the Sunday Star newspaper for pictures to go with these idioms. Then, make a sentence using the appropriate idiom for each scenario shown.

2. Look in the newspaper for an example of how a situation could have been prevented if the people involved had not let anger get the better of them. Next, have a show-and-tell, and discuss what you and your friends can learn from this scenario about handling your emotions.

The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme promotes the use of English language in primary and secondary schools nationwide. For Star-NiE enquiries, email [e-mail].