At present, we may be more observant of the behaviors of others, and subsequently may disagree with the choices that others are making, which may lead to feeling more anger towards others.
As with all emotions, anger has its purpose. Anger can serve as a way of protecting us from what we perceive may interfere with our safety and security, which in some cases can trigger the fight or flight response within our bodies.
In today’s world, we may be experiencing these triggers more often than we are used to. It is also important to remember that anger is one of the stages of grief, something that many of us may be experiencing currently, as we adjust to our frequently changing world.
So what can we do about our anger during this time?
First, we should make sure that our anger is not misdirected at something or someone else. For example, this can happen when we feel angry about new rules and protocols at work, but we find ourselves expressing this by snapping at our partner over the dishes, rather than expressing ourselves about the larger issue that we are angry about.
If you notice yourself becoming increasingly frustrated by the small actions of your family members or housemates, take a moment to assess if their actions are truly upsetting, or if perhaps your anger towards them has been displaced from a larger issue.
By labeling what we are actually angry about, we take a step towards addressing our feelings of anger in a healthier way, and may even be able to engage in problem solving to resolve the issue.
Secondly, we can challenge ourselves to practice compassion and empathy in response to our anger.
For example, if we are feeling anger or frustration towards a stranger has cut in line at the store, we can work to shift our anger to one of empathy and understanding by challenging ourselves to change the narrative around the other person’s behavior. Rather than viewing the stranger as selfish, we can reframe the experience for ourselves; perhaps the other person did not see us, or didn’t realize that we were in line. This shift in perspective can help us to decrease the intensity of our anger and frustration, and move past irritants.
This is a challenging time for all of us, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support. I can be reached by calling the Telluride Medical Center at 970-728-3848, or if you are a patient of Telluride Medical Center, by messaging me through the Telluride Medical Center portal.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call The Center for Mental Health’s crisis line at 970.252.6220.
Be well,
Lindsay Wright
Lindsay Wright | Behavioral Health
Telluride Medical Center
