Anger & Stress In Men

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There are many reasons why a man may be feeling stressed or angry. People often express anger in different ways, but if you are regularly feeling out of control, and are becoming more at risk of harming yourself or other people, it may be time to seek help

Anger is a secondary emotion and is usually triggered by a primary emotion.

The most common being feeling hurt or in pain (physical/emotional).

Some core hurt feelings include:

feeling disregarded, unimportant accused, guilty, devalued, powerless.

“Why do I get angry?”

How you feel is a result of how you interpret things.
Everyone can interpret things differently depending on their childhood, upbringing, past experiences and current circumstance.

Irritability and anger may also be a symptom of wider mental illnesses that involve difficulty in managing emotions.

Learning to regulate your emotions takes time.

The first step is learning your triggers.

Once understanding your feelings you can begin developing your communication skills. This is mostly done by taking part in talking therapies that can help you better manage your emotions.

You can learn more about anger management through our online CBT therapy course

Stress

More than 60% of young British men feel society expects them to “man up” in the face of stress and other challenges. However, stress can hugely impact both your mental and physical health, so why are men so quick to ignore the signs?

The potential risks of chronic stress include:

Stress can be caused by a variety of factors, including psychological, environmental, and physical triggers. One of the most common causes of stress is psychological, which can include things like work-related issues, relationship problems, financial difficulties, and personal worries.

Another common cause of stress is environmental, which can include things like traffic congestion, noise pollution, and exposure to extreme weather conditions.

Physical triggers such as illness, injury, or chronic pain can also lead to stress.

It can also be caused by genetic or biological factors.

Don’t ignore your stress signals. By addressing the underlying causes of stress, you can reduce the negative impact that stress can have on your mental and physical well-being.

Below are some effective coping strategies that may help you manage your stress.

In the moment managing

Take deep breaths.

A common breathing technique is the box method.

Step 1: Breathe in, counting to four slowly.
Step 2: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.
Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centered.

Relax your body:

Focus on each tense body part and relax your body. This includes relaxing your mouth by moving your tongue from the roof of your mouth, unclenching your jaw and dropping your shoulders.

Distract yourself:

Use calming distractions to manage anger and stress in the moment. Music is a common way to positively distract you from a feeling. Other distraction techniques include taking a cold shower, going on a walk, using a fidget toy and journaling.

Stress can be a result of relationship issues, bereavement and overworking.
Understanding your triggers may help you and professionals identify the best treatment.

Mindfulness involves being present and in the moment.
In stressful situations, mindfulness can help you to become more aware of your thoughts and feelings.
This can help when needing to face difficult and unhelpful thought patterns, and instead allow you to approach situations with more clarity.

Diet
Work on having a more balanced diet across the different food groups. Taking care of your gut is super important as it communicates directly with our brain. Incorporate more gut loving fibres and traditionally fermented foods and drinks, like kimchi or kombucha, into your diet.

Exercise
Physical exercise facilitates the release of endorphins and hormones that make you feel good.
But don’t worry, we hardly expect you to become an Olympian overnight.
Start to gradually build a consistent routine you enjoy.

Sleep
It’s important to establish a consistent sleep schedule and stick to it, even on weekends. Creating a relaxing bedtime routine, such as taking a warm bath or reading a book, can also help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.
Avoiding electronics or other stimulating activities before bed can also improve sleep quality.

Work
The most common cause of stress is work-related stress with 76% of employees reporting moderate-to-high or high levels of stress.
While this might not be the easiest ‘fix’ there are some ways to reduce stress at work. These include:
Making healthier choices (like going for a lunchtime walk),
Talking to your manager about workload and delegation,
Using the previously listed coping strategies to help manage your emotions.

Holding stress can worsen your physical and mental symptoms. Not only does talking about stress strengthen your personal relationships but it can also help you get support.
If honest conversation isn’t something you’re fully comfortable with, partake in a group activity that offers you stress relief and distraction.
Spending time with family and friends may make it easier when eventually opening up.

Our therapists are specially trained to help you manage your stress or anger, so you can choose to book with one of them as well.