Overcoming Destructive Anger

Politics

The Psychology Behind What Makes Authoritarianism Appealing

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on December 29, 2023

What is it that makes a person want to have fewer freedoms, less choice, and pay tribute to conformity above individuality? The answer to this question is rooted in our psychology.

What is it that makes a person want to have fewer freedoms, less choice, and pay tribute to conformity above individuality? The answer to this question is rooted in our psychology.

Punishment

Seeking Revenge: Its Causes, Impact, and Challenge

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on November 25, 2023

While seeking revenge may be a knee-jerk reaction to an offense, it's helpful to pause to evaluate its real impact and how to move past it.

While seeking revenge may be a knee-jerk reaction to an offense, it's helpful to pause to evaluate its real impact and how to move past it.

Anger

Anger Is a Potential Postpartum Reaction

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on October 31, 2023

New mothers need to know that anger can be a postpartum reaction. This post offers an understanding of postpartum anger—its features, causes, and coping strategies.

New mothers need to know that anger can be a postpartum reaction. This post offers an understanding of postpartum anger—its features, causes, and coping strategies.

Emotional Intelligence

10 Ways to Increase Your Emotional Awareness

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on October 9, 2023

Emotional awareness is essential for healthy relationships with others and ourselves. There are many ways to cultivate such awareness, all of which require self-reflection.

Emotional awareness is essential for healthy relationships with others and ourselves. There are many ways to cultivate such awareness, all of which require self-reflection.

Education

The Need for Social-Emotional Skills in Elementary School

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on September 11, 2023

Teaching children social-emotional skills helps provide them a sense of safety, connection, and respect essential for optimal learning.

Teaching children social-emotional skills helps provide them a sense of safety, connection, and respect essential for optimal learning.

Anger

How Do Guilt and Anger Interact With Each Other?

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on August 23, 2023

Being present with and aware of how our guilt and anger interact is essential for our emotional well-being. Harshly judging these feelings may only intensify their interaction.

Being present with and aware of how our guilt and anger interact is essential for our emotional well-being. Harshly judging these feelings may only intensify their interaction.

Anger

Please, Don't Yell

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on July 22, 2023

Chronic yelling undermines our personal and work relationships: It diminishes trust and more authentic communication. Learning these specific skills can inhibit this tendency.

Chronic yelling undermines our personal and work relationships: It diminishes trust and more authentic communication. Learning these specific skills can inhibit this tendency.

Mindfulness

Recognizing Our Barriers to Self-Compassion

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on July 5, 2023

Personal Perspective: How mindfulness helped me to identify and manage my inhibitions in self-compassion.

Personal Perspective: How mindfulness helped me to identify and manage my inhibitions in self-compassion.

Anger

How Emotional Avoidance Contributes to Anger

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on June 12, 2023

Learn how suppression of negative emotions leads to further suffering and makes you vulnerable to anger arousal, and identify skills you can cultivate to reduce this tendency.

Learn how suppression of negative emotions leads to further suffering and makes you vulnerable to anger arousal, and identify skills you can cultivate to reduce this tendency.

Sport and Competition

Non-Accidental Interpersonal Violence Undermines Sports

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on May 20, 2023

Athletes who experience non-accidental violence in sports suffer psychologically and physically. We need to acknowledge it, and focus on strategies to prevent it.

Athletes who experience non-accidental violence in sports suffer psychologically and physically. We need to acknowledge it, and focus on strategies to prevent it.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence Is a Buffer Against Destructive Anger

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on April 20, 2023

How high emotional intelligence can positively impact every aspect of our emotional well-being.

How high emotional intelligence can positively impact every aspect of our emotional well-being.

ADHD

How ADHD in Adults Impacts Anger Arousal

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on March 27, 2023

It's important to consider the influence of ADHD when dealing with adult anger. This may be overlooked by individuals with the disorder and by those who provide treatment for it.

It's important to consider the influence of ADHD when dealing with adult anger. This may be overlooked by individuals with the disorder and by those who provide treatment for it.

Anger

Do You Show or Discuss Your Anger Toward Your Partner?

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on March 5, 2023

Discussing anger increases our partner's attention to our message, while showing anger draws attention to feeling threatened.

Discussing anger increases our partner's attention to our message, while showing anger draws attention to feeling threatened.

Narcissism

7 Factors That Contribute to Group Violence

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on February 18, 2023

Understanding collective violence requires identifying individual and group factors and how they interact to precipitate violence.

Understanding collective violence requires identifying individual and group factors and how they interact to precipitate violence.

Self-Esteem

How Do Self-Esteem and Related Factors Impact Anger Arousal?

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on January 28, 2023

Research generally supports a negative association between self-esteem and the propensity for anger arousal. However, certain variables can powerfully impact this association.

Research generally supports a negative association between self-esteem and the propensity for anger arousal. However, certain variables can powerfully impact this association.

Embarrassment

Shaming Is an Aggressive Act

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on January 1, 2023

Whether intentional or not, shaming has been associated with anxiety, depression, and anger. Self-compassion is the antidote for those who shame and those who are shamed.

Whether intentional or not, shaming has been associated with anxiety, depression, and anger. Self-compassion is the antidote for those who shame and those who are shamed.

Anger

5 Major Contributions to Our Culture of Anger

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on November 29, 2022

Whether we remain a culture of anger depends on how we respond to major contributions to anger. Change calls for encouragement to pause for self-reflection.

Whether we remain a culture of anger depends on how we respond to major contributions to anger. Change calls for encouragement to pause for self-reflection.

Anger

What Makes Some of Us “Prisoners of Hate”?

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on October 15, 2022

Understanding how individuals and groups become "prisoners of hate" offers an alternative path to anger, hostility, and violence, whether triggered from within or fueled by others.

Understanding how individuals and groups become "prisoners of hate" offers an alternative path to anger, hostility, and violence, whether triggered from within or fueled by others.

Anger

Why the Silent Treatment Is Such a Destructive Form of Passive-Aggression

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on September 11, 2022

Silent treatment is a destructive response to conflict that only fosters increased tension. It undermines a sense of safety that is essential in an intimate relationship.

Silent treatment is a destructive response to conflict that only fosters increased tension. It undermines a sense of safety that is essential in an intimate relationship.

Relationships

How Conflict Avoidance Fuels Commitment Issues

Bernard Golden, Ph.D. on August 11, 2022

Fears of commitment may be powerfully influenced by conflict avoidance. Understanding and managing this tendency is a step toward enhancing commitment.

Fears of commitment may be powerfully influenced by conflict avoidance. Understanding and managing this tendency is a step toward enhancing commitment.