Anger can be like a raging inferno that builds up on the inside and just makes us want to explode. We can hurt the people we care about most when we unleash our fury. We might try to pick up the pieces afterward but sometimes the damage is too deep and we alienate those we love.
When we understand how anger works and how it is a protective mechanism of the mind, we can start to gain control. Hypnotherapy can help you to feel calm and in control so that things that used to trigger you now seem much more manageable.
Why We Get Angry
Anger is a natural human emotion which, in some circumstances, can help us to stay safe and feel stronger. When our basic instincts for survival kick-in we feel more physically able to stand our ground during threatening situations. This would have been vital in the days of our primitive ancestors and in the lawless outposts of our outdated past. Nowadays, however, anger can be detrimental not only to our health but can also get us into significant trouble if we aren't able to control it.
That feeling of anger which bubbles up inside us is created by the release of testosterone and adrenaline into the bloodstream. Blood pressure and heart rate also escalate which, in the long term, can increase the risk of heart attack or coronary heart disease. Studies also show that anger can interfere with the growth of new neural pathways in the brain — important for learning and communication. When we are angry we can't think straight.
It's interesting that even the things we say can create a background of angry emotion within us. Commonly, if we are annoyed we might comment that someone "makes our blood boil", or that we "see red" or feel like "blowing our top". These kinds of expressions interpret quite clearly some of the physical aspects of anger. Our necks and faces flush with heat and can become bright red as our blood pressure rises. Noticing our language can give us a conscious idea about the hidden messages we are feeding to our bodies.
The Real Cost of Anger
The physical price is not the only problem. Anger can be a very destructive emotion — impulsive and intolerant — that leaves the people we care about picking up the pieces. It can destroy families, friendships, and our entire reputation. Anger can also put our jobs at risk and be a factor in being by-passed for promotions or other opportunities.
How Hypnotherapy Helps
Hypnotherapy is a very effective way to calm anger down. One of the approaches taken is of utilizing the relaxation response, which is the exact opposite of the anger response. We can't feel relaxed and angry at the same time, so these relaxation techniques will encourage new ways of dealing with potential triggers.
Through a very calming progressive relaxation induction, the hypnotherapist can construct positive mental imagery which soothes and smooths out any tension or inner conflict. Many people who are prone towards anger don't realize that they are holding stress in their bodies, waiting for activation at the next provocation.
Because anger starts in the primitive, emotional part of the brain, it can feel like we have no control over it and the urge to attack — either physically or verbally — can become overwhelming. This response is activated prior to the intellectual part of the brain being signaled, thereby by-passing our critical faculties of being able to judge clearly or think in a reasonable way.
Clients can be taught self-hypnosis techniques, which can help them to feel confident in control when facing a situation that they might have previously found difficult. These simple techniques will be easy to learn and use when necessary, continuing to strengthen the desired changes on an on-going basis.
It might be that events in the past have created triggers in the subconscious part of the mind. These can be accessed through regression therapy and safely diffused within the therapy room. This will allow for new behaviors to be generated as the root problems are dealt with.
Chronic anger is a habit and, like all bad habits, can be changed using powerful suggestions to create an internal oasis of calm. These suggestions can be tailored specifically for each client, ensuring that all possible causes of anger are addressed. They can also provide a strong foundation for new ways of thinking, not only about external situations but also about ourselves.
Anger is not always directed at somebody or something else. Some people find that the anger is internalized — expressed by calling ourselves nasty names, hating ourselves, denying ourselves basic needs or even through self-harm. Hypnotherapy can look at what's causing these negative feelings and can allow a safe regression to any root causes. Self-esteem and confidence can be enhanced so that we can start to feel better in many ways. If there are any underlying feelings of guilt or shame which are creating the anger these, too, can also be dealt with through hypnosis and NLP techniques.
Trance is a fantastic way to mentally rehearse situations that have previously caused angry outbursts. The hypnotherapist can safely recreate in the client's mind these trigger times, allowing them to become deeply absorbed in the chosen scene but adapting the responses. These new responses allow for fresh neural pathways to be constructed by the brain which, in turn, modify future actions. This type of mental rehearsal harnesses all of the senses so that the client can see, feel, hear and even smell or taste what's going on. The richness of this stimuli builds imagery that the mind cannot distinguish from reality. In this way, the brain is literally re-wired and re-programmed to think differently.
Once we notice that we are handling situations better, we will also become aware that other people's reactions begin to change. Old frictions disappear and our new relaxed attitudes are welcomed and reflected back to us, enabling us to go forward into the future with this new, healthier outlook.