Dealing With Anger
86 views · Published 16 February 2017 · 6:58 · Indexed 6 November 2026
Channel: Life The Basic Manual · 2017 · Education
In this video, Paul shares with us tactics that have helped him to have a healthy relationship with anger, rather than one of repetition, resentment, and a sense of victimisation. In addition to his personal experience, Paul works for Las Vegas Recovery Center, a flagship treatment facility that treats many kinds of addictions. Early recovery is often characterised by intense emotional volatility. One of the most foundational elements of a 12 Step program is learning to deal with feelings, rather than denying or numbing them. Paul offers us excellent insights into a straightforward process that can help any of us, in recovery or not, deal with our anger. He suggests that first of all, we honestly acknowledge our anger, not justify or repress it. When we’ve allowed for its presence, part of making sure anger doesn’t turn into resentment is to share honestly with those we trust about the situation provoking the anger. After that, journalling about the feeling, and asking ourselves about our part in creating these conditions, is an important method for finding out what really belongs to our us, and to others. Sometimes we experience harm or injustice, and without our protective emotion of anger, we wouldn’t know that we needed to take action. But often, our own need for recognition, for power and for control is the root cause of our angry resentment. Understanding this can be a key tactic in freeing ourselves from patterns of resentment and injured pride. Anger is an energy, and we can learn to use it for our spiritual growth, or we can be its prisoners. Ultimately, Paul suggests, there is another side to its’ apparently monolithic facade. When we work with our anger, and we understand our part in it, we become capable of releasing it, and finding greater peace and acceptance in our being and our lives.
