Anger Management Counseling at Thriveworks in Richmond, VA
When anger consumes you, your peace of mind immediately disappears and the body becomes tense and uncomfortable. You feel so restless that it is nearly impossible to sleep, and whenever sleep does come it is fitful and unrefreshing. Anger makes it impossible for you to enjoy anything–even the food you usually find delicious seems unappetizing. Instead of the anger dissipating, it seems to grow. You become more and more unhappy, and no matter how hard you try it seems that your emotions can’t be controlled.
When you feel angry much of the time and ordinarily frustrating events cause you to spiral into a rage, it can lead to problems with your health. The counselors at Thriveworks in Richmond, VA have worked with people with anger management control for more than ten years.
The professional therapists at Thriveworks want to help you find the causes of your anger and a plan to appropriately respond to them. At Thriveworks, therapists want to help you find the best way to manage your anger in order for you to live your life to its fullest potential.
Health Risks from Anger
When the body is continuously in emotional turmoil from anger and rage, there are many health risks. From strokes to a weakened immune system, the body is affected. The following are some of the health risks that can result from anger.
More likely to be sensitive to pain. One explanation is that negative moods disrupt the circuitry of the brain.
- Heart rate increases.
- Blood pressure rises.
- Glucose levels rise, giving muscles the energy they need for action, and the adrenal glands pump more of the hormone adrenaline.
- Repeated increases in blood pressure eventually damage the cardiovascular system.
- Heart attack.
- Effects emotional well-being. (Just recalling an angry situation can cause suppression to the immune system.)
- Risk of atrial fibrillation, a major factor for strokes. The heart’s electrical activity goes haywire and begins to beat in an abnormal rhythm. Blood pools and thickens inside the main pumping chambers. When a fragment of the clotting blood breaks lose, it can travel into the smaller blood vessels of the brain and cause a stroke.
Suggestions for Managing Anger
When you are angry, try some of the following ways to can calm down.
- Focus on the physical sensations of anger. When you tune in to the way your body feels when angry, it may lessen the emotional intensity of your anger.
- Use your senses. The senses have relaxing powers. Listen to music or picture yourself in a serene setting or any favorite place.
- Take deep breaths. Deep and slow breathing counteracts tension. Breathe from the abdomen and get as much fresh air as possible into your lungs.
- Stretch or massage the tension areas. If your shoulders feel tense, roll them. If the tense feeling is in your neck or scalp, massage them.
- Count to 10 slowly. Keep your focus on the counting. If you still feel angry by the time you counted up to 10, start again.
Don’t wait any longer to begin anger management control at Thriveworks in Richmond, VA. Therapists want to work with you to identify the causes of your anger, teach you healthy, new ways to respond to its triggers and provide the most effective anger management treatment plan. Call Thriveworks in Richmond, VA at (804) 554-0356 today to get started on the path to leading a healthier life–mentally and physically.
