Anger -underlying causes, how to manage it

Causes of anger and how to manage it

1. ANGE R - ENEMY OF HEALTH

2. What is Anger? Anger is just an emotion like any other emotion (sadness, happiness, fear etc.) It is a strong feeling of Annoyance, Displeasure, Hostility and Antagonism. It is related t o ‘f i g h t ’ or ‘f l ig h t ’ response of the ParaSympathetic Nervous System.

3. Emotions that trigger Anger These include:- Anxiety Guilt Em b ar r a s sme n t Hurt Jealousy Fear Shame Sadness Disappointment Feel Powerless T h r e a t ened / A t t ac k ed Being Invalidated Treated unfairly Frustration, Worry Other people not respecting our feelings/possessions

4. Causes of Anger Physiological sources of Anger It is natural anger. In certain threatening situations, for instance when we are attacked physically, our bodies respond by making us physically angry. Behavioural sources of Anger- I t c o m es f r om the e n v i r o nme n t we c r e a t e f or o u r sel v e s . Ch r o ni c a lly ang r y peopl e c r e a t e an atmosphere in which others are aggressive in return, creating a cycle of anger. 3) Cognitive sources of Anger- They are based on how we perceive things. These perceptions may be accurate..a situation may, indeed, be threatening, or they may not be.

5. Factors affecting the Cognitive cause of Anger How we interpret and react to a situation can depend on lots of factors:- Our childhood and upbringing. Past experiences. Current circumstances.

6. Our childhood and upbringing: There can be three situations:- If you have grown up thinking that showing anger aggressively and violently is OK if you don’t like a particular behaviour or a situation. If you have been taught that you should not complain. You may have witnessed your parents or other adults getting angry and out of control.

7. Past experiences Past experiences such as Abuse, Trauma or Bullying (as a child or as an adult). It means that the anger you are feeling in the present reflects your past situation.

8. Current Ci r cum s t anc e s These include the circumstances or the problems one is dealing with in our day-to-day life. e.g. Problems that a specific person, such as a co- worker, partner, friend, or family member, has caused. Frustrating events, such as being stuck in a traffic jam or having a flight cancelled. Personal problems that cause extreme worry or ruminating.

9. Biology of Anger What happens when we are angry? Muscles becomes tense Heart rate increases Pulse rate increases Blood sugar increases Blood pressure increases Sweating etc.

10. What hormones are released when we are angry? Our body reacts to the anger in fractions of seconds. An g er Amygdala gets activated Activates Hypothalamus Release Corticotropin hormone(CRH) activates Pituitary gland

11. Pituitary gland has direct connection with kidneys and Adrenal glands and release stress releasing hormones like Cortisol, Adrenaline and Nor-Adrenaline. Anger is an important emotion. It can be Good or Bad. If used correctly at right time , it can be useful but when the same anger goes uncontrollable , then it starts to affect both Physical and mental health.

12. Anger affecting Physical health:- High Cortisol secretion results in :- Increased heart rate Increased breathing rate Higher chances of Stroke High Blood Pressure Heart attack Overall Immune System goes weak Hypothyroidism

13. Anger affecting Physical health:- High Cortisol secretion results in :- Weak eyesight Migraine Headache Weak digestion resulting in Constipation, Bloating, indigestion, etc.

14. Anger- ‘fight’ or ‘flight’? During anger, it is the function of our brain to decide whether one should go for ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ response. The reasons responsible for such responses are:- Amygdala Prefrontal Cortex

15. Amygdala The amygdala is a collection of cells near the base of the brain. There are two, one in each hemisphere or side of the brain. This is where emotions are given meaning, remembered, and attached to associations and responses to them (emotional memories). Amygdala triggers emotions and prepares the body for ‘fight’ or ‘flight’ response.

16. Prefrontal Cortex- I t is th e ce r eb r al c or t e x co v ering the front part of the frontal lobe. This brain region has been implicated in planning complex cognitive behaviour, personality expression, decision making, and moderating social behaviour. During anger, this region makes the judgement whether to ‘fight’ or ‘flight’.

17. Anger affecting mental health During anger, two regions of the brain are greatly damaged- Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus

18. P r e f r o n t al Cortex When we get angry, the neurons (brain cells) starts to damage. Lesser number of neurons in that area will reduce the Cognitive abilities and the person is not able to control himself during anger as Prefrontal Cortex is the judgement area to decide whether to fight or not.

19. Hippo c ampus This region of the brain is responsible for Memory. During anger, the brain cells of this area gets damaged and when less neurons are there it will impact our memory and thus resulting in poor memory. Every time we become angry, our Hippocampus keeps on shrinking, becomes deformed and results in Poor Memory Retention, memory Loss ,etc.

20. Ways to avoid anger There are mainly three principles to avoid anger:- Delay the Response Anticipate the conflict 3) T r y t o u nde rs t and other person’s position

21. Role of food in anger Research says that what we eat has a direct effect on our mind and behaviour. Eating a particular kind of diet can trigger or suppress the anger. According to Ayurveda, there are three types of diets:- Satvik diet Rajasik diet Tamasik diet

22. Satvik Food These foods are pure, healthy, emotionally balanced and calming. They are fresh and light on our digestive tract. Such foods , promotes clarity of thoughts, discipline and calmness. These include fresh fruits & vegetables, coconut water etc.

23. Satvik Food These foods are pure, healthy, emotionally balanced and calming. They are fresh and light on our digestive tract. Such foods , promotes clarity of thoughts, discipline and calmness. These include fresh fruits & vegetables, coconut water etc.

24. Rajasik Food They are heavier than Satvik foods. They produce feeling of jealousy, anger, delusion, ego etc. These include spicy, fried foods.

25. Tamasik foods Thes e a r e de ad f o o ds li k e p r ocesse d f o o ds , c anned f o o d s, meats, aerated drinks, alcohol etc. These foods generate mo o d s w i ng s and feelings. i nsecu r ities, Ne g a ti v e

26. Foods that can help in Anger Management Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Consume foods in the way mother nature has given it to us. e.g. eat dates rather than sugar. Increase intake of Omega-3 Fatty acids found in Chia seeds, Flax seeds, walnuts, etc. to help fight off feeling of Depression. Eat Magnesium rich foods such as Almonds, spinach, Pumpkin seeds, etc.

27. Limit Sugar intake. Avoid Refined Carbohydrates Check the Vitamin D levels as vitamin D is associated with Depression and Mood disorders. Sunlight is a very good source of Vitamin D. Foods that can help in Anger Management

28. Role of Feel Good Hormones in our body These are the hormones that induces calmness in the body and make us feel happy, contended and relaxed and reduces anger. The 5 major Feel good hormones are:- Endorphins Dopamine Serotonin Oxytocin Estrogen

29. Endorphins These are released when we exercise. Laughter also generates Endorphins. Minimum 30 minutes of exercises and watching Funny videos raise levels of Endorphins.

30. Dopamine Accomplishment of small or big tasks releases Dopamine. How can we boost Dopamine? Set realistic Goals Eat Well Foods high in Dopamine- these include Fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly Banana. Nuts like Almonds & Walnuts Omega -3 Fatty acids found in Chia Seeds, Flax seeds, Pumpkin seeds etc.

31. Serotonin Best way to boost Serotonin are:- Exercise Eat Healthy Foods as 95% of serotonin is produced in the gut. Sun Bath and Sun Gazing are the most effective ways to boost Serotonin. By Helping others.

32. O x y t oc i n Also called ‘Love Hormone’ How to Boost Oxytocin? Spending time with the loved ones. When we hug our Family Members/ Friends ( Jadu ki jhappi in Munna bhai MBBS )

33. Estrogen This hormone protect us from anxiety, irritability, mood swings. Its production decrease with Menopause and this negatively affects mood.

34. What can happen if anger problem is not treated? If we don’t deal with your anger problem, it could one day escalate to a point where we can do something extreme and regrettable. Violence is one possible outcome. We could get so angry that we may end up hurting ourself or someone we care about without intending to do so.

35. Thank you