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Yaowen
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Default Nov 19, 2021 at 12:05 PM
 
I also have anger issues so I can definitely empathize with you! In my case, my constant anger was really preventing me from having any peace of mind and joy of living.

A psychiatrist helped me quite a bit. From him I learned that anger is about expectations. A person expects something to happen or not to happen and if their expectation is not realized, then anger is the result.

People with very few expectations are seldom angry. People with very many expectations are very angry much of the time. He helped me to understand that this is the key to reducing anger and becoming a happier person.

According to him, a person can learn to lower his or her expectations.

An expectation is something that is more than a wish but a little less than a demand.
For example, when I am out in public I meet people who are behaving in a rude way. This can make me angry if I "expect" people to always be polite and kind.
Are rude people "making me angry"? No. It is my expectation about people that is behind my anger.
A "wish" is softer than an expectation. I can "wish" that people were less rude and then when they are rude, it is just a wish that didn't come true. Anger comes from expectations.

I originally argued with this psychiatrist. I told him that I have a right to be angry. He told me: "Then you have to decide whether you are going to hang on to being right and be angry all the time or whether you are going to lower your expectations so that you can have some inner peace and joy of living."

This helped me a lot and I am gradually becoming a less and less angry person.

Things are going to break. Things are going to go wrong. People are going to behave badly including me sometimes. But I don't "expect" that to change. I wish it were different. But I don't expect it. And that frees me from the terrible anger and rage that ruins my life.

This helped me a lot. Of course I realize that what helps one person might not work for someone else. I can only share what has helped me.

I hope you are able to get many responses to your post and many ideas of what has helped other people with anger. I wish you all the best!
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Thanks for this!
Bill3, Hope Mikelson