A word of warning. The first step in gaining control of anger is to recognize its warning signs. You have to be aware of symptoms that your anger is about to build up, so that you can catch yourself early and make the necessary intervention. This process involves taking yourself from the moment and observing your own reactions from a third-person point of view. Warning signs of anger exist in a range. Some are very obvious, others very subtle. They differ from person to person. Signs of anger can be physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral. Physical signs of anger include: rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, headache, stomach ache, sweating, feeling hot in the face and neck, shaking. Mental signs of anger include: difficulty concentrating, obsessing on the situation, thinking vengeful thoughts, cynicism. Emotional signs of anger include: sadness, irritability, guilt, resentment, feeling like you need to hurt someone, needing to be alone, needing to isolate one’s self, numbness. Behavioral signs of anger include: clenching of fists, pounding a fist on a wall or table or any surface, pacing, raising one’s voice, any act of aggression, passive aggression.
