Anger
Summary: Anger can be a very difficult emotion because of our upbringing, societal norms and our fear of the intensity this emotion can bring. Anger is a valuable emotion; it’s our reaction to it that we may need to adjust to prevent harm to ourselves and others. These free resources can help.
You might be surprised to know anger is not always a negative emotion that should be suppressed or avoided; in fact, anger can also be a positive – for example when the anger we feel towards injustice motivates change.
Have you ever felt angry when what you really were was anxious? If so, you’re not alone. Our emotional responses to situations are sometimes confusing; recognizing the value and meaning of emotions can help us to learn and grow. The function of emotions provides tips, suggestions and strategies to help you explore and reflect on what you are truly feeling, bringing a sense of clarity.
If you’re not sure how to support a friend, family member, or colleague struggling with anger, there are also resources to help. Someone you care about is struggling with anger offers questions and strategies for facilitating a supportive conversation.
Anger articles and resources
The list that follows includes the resources linked to above as well as related information that may be more specific to your current situation:
Anger can be a difficult emotion to experience because of your upbringing, societal norms and fear of its potential intensity. While anger is also a valuable emotion, you may need to adjust your reaction to it to prevent harm to yourself and others.
Questions and strategies to help you have a supportive conversation when someone you care about is struggling with anger.
This team activity explores how expressing anger constructively may be the best way to minimize problematic circumstances in the future.
By challenging angry thoughts, you can cut through the emotion to get to whatever needs to be addressed.
Anger is a reaction to a perceived or an actual injustice. Sometimes we react with behaviours that look like anger but are actually a symptom of an underlying emotion like guilt or shame.
This team activity examines situations where anger is a symptom of an underlying emotion like guilt or shame.