Anger Management for Dummies summary

Introduction

Anger Management for Dummies by Charles H. Elliott and Laura L. Smith This book offers practical strategies to control your anger. Does your own anger scare you sometimes?

For instance, did you ever find yourself yelling at your terrified children or your bewildered partner seemingly unable to stop? Do you go berserk when you are steering your car through heavy traffic and the driver in front of you is less than competent? Or do you worry that your short temper will eventually harm your career? If you feel that your negative emotions control you, rather than the other way around, then this summary is for you.

You will learn about the many things that nourish your rage and ways to avoid them. You will get to understand how, ultimately, it is your thoughts about a situation that determine whether it annoys you in the first place.

Anger Can Be a Curse or a Blessing, Depending on How You Use It

Anger Can Be a Curse or a Blessing, Depending on How You Use It. Everybody knows how much damage anger can do. After all, it is a powerful emotion. If you do not know how to control it, your anger can end up hurting you and those around you.

When under the influence of an angry outburst, people can do things they would not normally do. They might drive like a maniac, hit a loved one, or destroy property. Beyond that, people who are easily upset and prone to violent outbursts are difficult to relax around. They might pounce at any moment.

Nobody wants to be that person, but too many people end up yelling at their partners or some other innocent person. This is because they have suppressed all the rage they feel against, say, their bully of a boss. It is not just other people who suffer from your passionate fits. Getting too wound up too often can actually hurt your health.

For instance, a perpetual state of anger can produce ulcers and lead to high blood pressure. So, rage can be a destructive force. But if you know how to harness it, it can also fuel many constructive pursuits. For example, you might be scared to leave a toxic relationship.

You are unsure about your ability to survive on your own. But one day you grow so sick of your situation that your anger becomes stronger than your fear. All of a sudden, you are walking out the door. It is in moments like these that fury is fueling your action.

But in a way that is helpful, not hurtful. Righteous rage has even led people to productively transform their communities. Just take Nelson Mandela. Enraged by the racial injustice he witnessed in his lifetime, he harnessed his emotions to start a powerful movement against the racist apartheid regime of South Africa.

You can be like Mandela too. Use your anger to make your world a better place in which to live.