Anger

ANGER It's normal to feel angry at times and sometimes it can motivate you to do better, stand up for yourself or protect you. When anger is intense or frequent, it may become a problem. There are three styles of responding to anger: Assertive 1 in 5 young people say that they have trouble controlling their anger.* expressing anger in an assertive, non-aggressive manner while standing up for yourself and communicating clearly. What are some warning signs of anger? Passive * Mental Health Foundation, UK blocking out or pretending anger isn't there because it makes you feel uncomfortable or threatened. This can then lead to other problems and the underlying issue is not addressed. http://www.angermanage.co.uk/pdfs/boilingpoint.pdf Mentally you can't think straight, your thoughts get cloudy, you feel a loss of control If anger is a problem, you may also find yourself: Emotionally Aggressive acting out aggressively or violently toward other people and as a result damage relationships and create problems with work/study or alcohol/drug use. you feel rejected, humiliated, jealous or afraid Physically your heart beats faster, your adrenaline picks up, you start to feel tense Making bad decisions When you are angry, you have choices: This in turn can affect your Misusing drugs and/or alcohol family life, Having regular friendships and study. O Listen and work out what it means arguments Motivate yourself to find a solution Feeling depressed and/or anxiouS Talk to someone about how you feel Acting out in a violent way It's important to get help before your anger gets out of control. you are getting angry more often or if other people are worried about your anger issues, contact headspace. If headspace headspace.org.au National Youth Mental Health Foundation