Are you
hiding your anger from yourself? Some people have beliefs that
it is wrong to be angry. Yet anger is a human emotion and we
all have in some form or another. Unexpressed anger can build
up and take over your life, making you miserable in many different
ways. You may have deep unresolved anger if you:
_____ Frequently
vent injustice about your job or home situation to someone else.
_____ Have
continual thoughts of revenge.
_____Smile
and are bitter and cynical while you are hurting inside.
_____ Are
excessively impatient and irritable.
_____ Become
frustrated easily with others faults.
_____Express
disbelief at others' diving, resulting in road rage.
_____ Are
sarcastic and use humor destructively.
_____ Pepper
your talk frequently with cuss words.
_____ Grind
your teeth or clench your jaws; have continual muscle tension
in your face.
_____ Are
bored, apathetic, and have lost interest in things you used
to enjoy.
_____ Have
to have the last work in a disagreement, keeping a fight going.
_____ Pick
at and provoke others to anger.
_____ Are
secretly or outwardly judgmental about the actions of others.
_____ Are
unnecessarily critical of yourself.
_____ Displace
your anger on safer people (who are less threatening) or on
objects.
_____ Turn
your anger on yourself and beat yourself up.
_____ Deny
your feelings of frustration, irritation and impatience.
_____ Are
over polite and cheerful, grinning and bearing it to hide feelings
of injustice.
_____ Carry
chronic muscle tension in neck and shoulders that worsens when
you're upset
_____ Agree
to do something, then do not follow through. "Forget" to carry
out your promises.
_____ Habitually
clench your fists or tighten your muscles when you are upset.
_____ Want
to be known as the "nice guy or gal" but inwardly are in turmoil
about things.
_____ Are
afraid to express your opinion because you might blow up.
_____ Are
afraid to express your strong feelings because you believe it
is wrong to be angry.
Anger is
a normal human emotion. We've all got it. You can learn to express
it directly in ways that do not hurt yourself or others.
Read a
Primer of Anger on our web site and make a list of better ways
to get your anger out. Take a course in anger management or
get into therapy. You are worth the investment. Your life will
become much happier if you learn to take care of your anger
in socially acceptable ways. One sure fire way to boost your
self esteem is to learn the social skills of expressing frustration
and irritability in safe ways! Remember you are as mature as
you are in touch with your feelings and express them in appropriate
ways.
Back to Angries Out
