Anger is another common negative emotion, and many people found themselves experiencing anger and frustration during the Covid-19 Pandemic, for example. Locked-down with a partner or family, or flat-mates, unable to go about the normal routine outside the home often created inevitable tensions amongst individuals and groups.

Anger can be thought of as the ‘fight’ part of the ‘fight or flight' response - the normal physiological response to something fearful. We may feel defensive when seemingly under attack. We may be more tetchy with others, sensitive to criticism, believing our thoughts about what others may be thinking. Tension in the body goes through the roof. And our coping strategies may just make that worse, e.g. using alcohol as a way of numbing underlying fear or worry or sadness, which in turn may remove inhibitions that allow anger to show more readily.

And circumstances can disrupt normal routines; working-from-home (WFH), for example (and Covid-19 lock-down before that), often means living 24/7 with others in the same home, in a way that was never experienced before. Previously you may have had different routines, often doing things on your own or with others (colleagues, work mates etc) during the day. You had other things to talk about; and could enjoy spending time together doing things together you chose to do. But WFH disrupts typical work patterns and routines that might have been familiar, and can require effort to create new helpful routines.

Many of the techniques I use are similar to those used for stress and anxiety - they are after all closely related emotions. Relaxation, slowing things down and other behavioural changes can be key, as well as understanding the role of thoughts, of negative stories we tell ourselves about the past and the future, and the importance of engaging in the present.

See blog posts on Tension, Covid-19 and Work stress.