Anger in its Various Manifestations

What is anger?  A feeling—one that I am rarely comfortable with; one that is not often well-modulated within me. A body sensation—one that can shoot through my limbs or ball up and tighten itself somewhere in my body. It’s tense muscles, an overpowering urge to explode or withdraw, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Sometimes I experience anger as sort of a psychic traffic jam, a mental gridlock. Other times anger is in the driver’s seat and I am following it on a wild goose chase. Still again, I can cower in fear underneath my own anger, beating myself up for having those feelings. Then I have sort of a boxing match going on inside of me. For me, anger can be physical, emotional, or mental. When it is all of those at once, I better watch out—trouble is near. Anger takes so many forms. It pops up, down, sideways, straight ahead, or bursts like a fire cracker on the Fourth of July. Today I will take a step back when I feel this physical part of my anger taking me over, I will breathe, reflect, and let it pass. I can understand it if I feel my anger needs attention, or release it and just let it go if I feel my anger is just habit.

I explore the many faces of anger.  

 

You are reading from One Foot in Front of the Other: Daily Affirmations for Recovery by Tian Dayton, PhD (Health Communications, Inc., 9780757317880, paperback, 384 pages, $11.96).