Anger: Causes and Management

Understanding socially acceptable, anger management

There are many different reasons why people become angry. In other words, the causes are innumerable.

Understanding socially acceptable, expressions of anger, as well as anger management principles, is important to us as human beings, because we are all part of one global community. Proper anger expression and anger management is vital to everyone's spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health.  

What is socially acceptable anger management, as opposed to non-socially acceptable, anger management? 

Anger is a normal human response to someone or something that is displeasing. It has varying degrees of severity, depending upon the situation or circumstances involved.

Place human anger and the management thereof, on a continuum from one to ten. Put appropriate or socially acceptable, responses to anger on the lower end of the continuum and the non-socially acceptable, responses to anger on the higher end of the continuum.

Now look at two different kinds of anger management or responses to anger. In each instance, how does a person express or deal with his or her anger?

Anger management that consists of counting from one to ten before speaking, when one was angry might be rated as a one out of ten. Breaking a table leg when one was angry, could be regarded as a ten out of ten.

Analyzing our own personal responses to anger is important. It is even more important than trying to analyze those of others. Why is this so? Normally, we only comprehend our own internal, anger levels or degrees of anger. There may be times when we do not understand it, as well. We may not necessarily comprehend the internal level or degree of anger of others.

We know when we are angry, even if we do not know why we are angry immediately. We may not ever know, comprehend or recognize the symptoms of anger in others or understand the reason why they are angry. We also know how angry we are at any particular time, but we do not always know how angry others may be.

In other words, we know when we are just a little angry about something and we know when we are very angry. We do not always know that with regard to others who are around us or those who may be at some distance from us. 

Be aware that expressions of anger and socially acceptable, anger management practices can vary from individual to individual, family to family, as well as from community to community. They also vary from culture to culture. In other words, what may be considered socially acceptable, expressions of anger and anger management in one family, community or culture, may not necessarily be regarded the same way, in another.

Thus, what might pass as socially acceptable, expressions of anger and anger management principles and practices in one country, may not be regarded as such, in other countries of the world.

Can we make others follow our example for socially acceptable expressions of anger and anger management? Probably not, but we can start by setting a good example for others.