Anger is an intense affective state that is activated in the individual in response to both internal and external stimuli and their interpretation. It is a process that follows certain phases (beginning, duration, attenuation) which are accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes that often have an adaptive function.
Anger is a process characterized by several components including the physiological activation of the organism to prepare our body to attack or defend itself from an enemy (the acceleration of the heartbeat, the increase in blood flow in the periphery of the body , increased muscular tension, the sensation of heat and hyper-sweating), the cognitive component (interpretations of an event as an obstacle to the pursuit of an objective or having suffered a wrong or damage, an obstacle to the achievement of personal goals, a threat to self-esteem, social image, images), the expressive component (facial expression which includes frowning the eyebrows, baring and grinding the teeth, pursing the lips, while at times it is difficult to stop the tears) and the behavioral component (body language with a posture that allows attacking, the tendency to act such as breaking objects or driving fast, alteration of the tone of voice). These dimensions interact with each other, influencing the individual experience of anger.
The function of anger lies in the instinct to defend oneself to survive in the environment in which one finds oneself and/or in responding to an injustice suffered or perceived, to the perception of the violation of one's rights.
Basic emotions, including anger, are phylogenetically determined, have an innate basis and an adaptive function, however they can become a cause of suffering when their intensity is very high and lasts over time. Anger becomes dysfunctional when it creates individual suffering, or compromises social relationships and pushes one to carry out harmful actions towards people or things or oneself.
Interventions aimed at improving the emotional regulation of anger
Several studies on the treatment of problems related to anger and aggression have confirmed the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) which uses different techniques to intervene and modify the patient's cognitive processes and behaviors. Furthermore, to support work on the cognitive dimension, the patient is taught relaxation techniques to control physiological activation and techniques such as mindfulness to stay focused on the present moment.