Mental Health and Wellness
Anger can also be a sign that a person is experiencing sadness, depression and mental health issues. It becomes a problem when it starts to affect a person’s daily life which leads to them reacting in ways to harm themselves or others. Chronic anger consumes a huge amount of one’s mental energy. It makes it difficult to concentrate in our daily lives and it clouds our thinking. This leads to depression, stress and other mental problems.
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Anger management
Anger management is the process of learning to pinpoint
signs that you’re becoming angry and taking actions to calm down in order to
deal with it in a productive manner. It is a common response to frustration or
threatening situations. Feeling angry regularly can have a negative impact on a
person’s physiological well-being of life as well as relationships with others.
Anger management aims to understand the message behind the emotion and express it in a healthy way without getting out of control. Learning how to control your anger can help you become a better person and it allows you to build healthier relationships with others around you.
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Anger vs Aggression
Anger is in and of itself, nothing but an emotion. Simply a human response to powerful stimulus such as pain, frustration or disappointment.
Aggression can be described as any negative actions carried out while being angry, or under the influence of high levels of anger.
There are 3 main types of Aggression:
1. Passive Aggression- Refers to persons who avoid admitting that they are angry because they dislike confrontation. Passive aggressive behavior is a pattern of indirectly expressing negative feelings rather than addressing them. Persons who experience this type of anger tend to; have a hostile attitude, resent and oppose others' demands and frequently complain about feeling unappreciated.
2. Open Aggression- This deals with persons lashing out in anger or rage. Persons become physically and verbally aggressive and often hurt others or themselves. This comes from a need to be in control.
3. Assertive Aggression- Assertive behavior demonstrates
respect that is better than aggression. This means thinking before you speak
but also standing up for yourself. It involves being patient, keeping your
voice down and having an understanding of how others feel. Dealing with anger
assertively, you’re demonstrating that you’re mature and that you care for
others.
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How does anger affect athletes?
Anger has many impacts on performance. The biggest impact of
anger on performance is that it doesn't allow an athlete to move beyond
whatever prompted the anger. If an athlete is unable to move beyond the issue
that prompted the anger, then they are unable to continue to concentrate and
focus on continued performance. Some other impacts of anger include muscle
tension, negative thinking, rapid heart rate, and rapid breathing. These
impacts of anger can be dealt with in similar ways as anxiety: progressive
relaxation, imagery and deep breathing. Progressive relaxation means
progressively going through your body and relaxing your muscles. Deep breathing
helps take the focus off anything negative and relaxes your mind and your
muscles. Imagery relates to processes to produce an internalized experience
that will support or enhance training or competition. Imagery allows the
athlete to focus on something positive and something specific to the sport.
Anger affects performance in these two main ways:
1. Anger takes energy away from where you really need your energy to be. It takes energy away from the situation and environment but also your body, your muscles and your mind.
2. Not only does anger take energy away from where you need
your energy to be but anger can have a lasting effect for an entire practice or
competition and on you and others around you not during just that episode but
as a lasting impression.
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Why do athletes get angry while playing sports?
As natural competitors, many athletes find it impossible to play their sport without experiencing intense emotion. Consequently, bad calls, dirty plays and poor performance can trigger feelings of anger. But when you allow yourself to get angry on the court or field, your performance will drop, because you will:
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Lose focus on the competition
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Shift attention to retaliation
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Start negative self-talk and self-criticism
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Let your form get sloppy
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Lose confidence
Triggers are unique to each person
There are many ways that our brains can be triggered, and these triggers are usually different from person to person based on individual life experiences. For instance, if you were bullied significantly during your childhood, your triggers will be intense towards someone who is controlling or threatening
Some common triggers are:
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Injustice
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Disrespect
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Violation of your personal space
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Abusive language
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Labeling, shaming, blaming
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Physical threats
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Insults
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Misinformation
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Lying
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Relationship disputes
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Constant disappointment
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Lack of control, and
● Some individuals, exclusively
It is important for us to realize what our triggers are, to be aware of what issues in our lives promote a high alert in our brains and send us over the edge. Then, once we identify our triggers, it is beneficial to determine why these triggers cause such an emotionally charged response.
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Coping skills atheltes can use if tey struggle with anger during performance:
●Deep Breathing
Every time you start feeling angry,
take three deep breaths to allow your emotions to simmer down. For a powerful
combination, use this physical technique at the same time as you try one of the
mental tricks outlined above.
● Cue Words
Pick a word or phrase to focus on when you feel yourself getting angry. For example, a soccer player might say, "First to the ball," to concentrate on gaining possession of the ball instead of running after an offending opponent. Use cue words in practice so they become second nature in competition. By learning to focus on your next action rather than mistakes, you'll eliminate many of the dangerous effects of anger.
● Affirmations
Develop positive self-statements to let go of anger and mistakes. Examples include, "I am a smart player," "I've got a good attitude," "I am calm, cool, and collected" or "I let go of mistakes and focus on the next play."
Sports and activities that are good for anger management:
Aerobic Exercise:
Aerobic exercises are also referred to as cardio exercises. They include a range of workouts that increase heart rates and better oxygen supply to the whole body. They rely on this technique to use the oxygen to produce energy and are performed for several minutes or more in general. The increased heart rate caused by these exercises also exercises the pulmonary system which effectively reduces the blood pressure and anxiety also. Some of the most favored aerobic exercises are:
- Gyms: enroll your kids or teens in a well-equipped Gym under a certified trainer. These trainers will help your kids or teens with a meticulously charted training regime that will not only look after their all-round growth, but they will also help them stay fit and healthy. The exercise routine will also channelize their anger into a healthy and fit lifestyle.
- Cycling: this is another excellent method to stay fit. Cycling also allows viewing the scenic beauty and enjoying the road. They also need little training and can be enjoyed at a minimal cost. The time while cycling also helps them to be on their own and gather their thoughts. One of the best exercises and workouts that can be handy in many ways. Also, an environment friendly exercise also.
- Swimming: this is one of the best cardio exercises which help kids and teens to have fun and have a very healthy and fit body. Make sure that the club where you enroll your kid has a qualified trainer and security. Swimming is also fun as kids and teens tend to love water. Water also soothes nerves and helps cool down tempers.
- Walking: Brisk walking can be fun. Walking at a brisk in the park or along nature trails will help kids enjoy nature and a sweating exercise that might smooth nerves and understand a lot more about life. This is a good exercise both for the whole body, and lets the kids be with their thoughts and ponder over them.
- Jogging: also, a good cardio exercise. This exercise also allows teens and kids to enjoy the outdoors and ponder over their thoughts. The liberty to choose different routes can add to the diversity and change of view. All these can greatly help in managing stress and anger in kids and teens.
Team Sports:
Team sports can be extremely helpful in managing stress and anger among teens and kids. Studies reveal that regular interaction with people in person can not only help in anger management and stress management, they can also instill qualities that improve social behavior and team playing qualities. These will be extremely essential in the further walk of life. Team sports like Rugby, Soccer, Football, Baseball, basketball will help them stay fit. These sports also help manage anger and stress. These team games also teach a lot about life and the ways to interact with people, play as a team and a lot more. They not only make children cooperative and team players, they also equip them with life skills much needed for the future.
You can also indulge your kids in indoor sports like badminton, table tennis that involve a lot of physical exercise, and also helps to develop concentration and strategy building abilities.
Stationary Exercises:
There can be situations that might not allow you to help your kids in taking up too many outdoor activities, or cardio exercises. There are options where you can help them work their mind and body at home in the comfort of the interiors and help them manage their anger or stress.
- Muscle control: ask them to tense and relax each muscle of their body. Start from the toes and end with the face. Tensing muscles of every part of the body with deep breathing makes the whole body relax bit by bit. They also help in reducing anger and stress immensely. This can also act as an anger or stress reliever as an emergency solution also.
- Deep Breathing: Deep breathing exercises are known to reduce stress and anger. They also act as emergency anger management tools. Take a deep breath for about two to five seconds while focusing on the breath, hold it for ten seconds or more, and then release the breath for two to five seconds. Repeat for about five to ten times. Doing this about five times a day detoxifies your body and also helps your oxygen supply in the body. This also keeps tempers in check.
- Other
methods: there are many other indoor exercises that need very little physical
stress, but are known to reduce stress and anger in kids and teens as well as
adults. But these methods, like Tai Chi, or Yoga, need qualified and trained
instructors. They can have a calming effect on the young mind and keep them
fit. They are also known to increase concentration and focus among other
things.
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A mood disorder which places people under a persistent feeling of sadness, worthlessness or loss of interest. Also called Major Depressive Disorder or Clinical Depression, this mental illness causes changes to a person's mood, thought patterns and mannerisms.
How susceptible are
athletes to depression?
Athletes in individual
sports are more prone to developing depressive symptoms than those in team
games, according to a new study. Researchers from the Technical University of
Munich in Germany surveyed 162 elite and 199 junior elite athletes in two
cross-sectional studies. They also conducted a longitudinal study of 85 junior
athletes, surveying them three times over the course of a year. These three
studies were complemented by a qualitative study, in which 134 elite athletes
were interviewed about perceived causes of their experienced stress, drop-out
intentions and depressive symptoms.
How does depression affect
an athlete’s performance?
Negative external or
internal psychological factors can lead to mental blocks, causing breaks in
focus and preparation, poor performance and, at times, injuries to the athlete.
They can produce physical disruptions such as muscle tightening, shaking, and
increased perspiration. If not dealt with, these factors may not only affect
the athlete but the team as a whole. To combat these powerful effects, coaches
and athletes can focus their efforts on tactics such as goal setting, routines,
visualization, and confidence.
Warning signs of a depressed individual
Much like any other mental illness, the warning signs or symptoms of Depression is subjective to the individual. There are, however, universal warning signs that we can look out for.
Warning signs of a depressed
athlete
•Lack of concentration or
motivation or confidence
•Excessive irritability or
easily becoming upset
•Changes in appetite or
eating patterns and/or sleep patterns
•Low energy, chronic
fatigue
•Loss of interest or
pleasure in fun activities and/or depressed mood
•Increased alcohol or drug
use
•Problems with motor skills
Tips to combat Depression
Following up on symptoms being subjective to the individual, same goes for treatment or ways to combat depression. It is important to keep in mind that what works for one person will not necessarily work for other people. This is because depression stems in the brain and no two brains are the same.
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Meet yourself where you are-Depression is
common. It affects millions of people, including some in your life. You may not
realize they face similar challenges, emotions, and obstacles.
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Know that today isn’t indicative of
tomorrow-Today’s mood, emotions, or thoughts don’t belong to tomorrow.
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Assess the parts instead of generalizing the
whole-Depression can tinge recollections with negative emotions. You may find
yourself focusing on the one thing that went wrong instead of the many things
that went right.
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Set attainable goals-A lengthy to-do list may
be so weighty that you’d rather do nothing. Instead of compiling a long list of
tasks, consider setting one or two smaller goals.
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Reward your efforts-All goals are worthy of
recognition, and all successes are worthy of celebration. When you achieve a
goal, do your best to recognize it.
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Do something you enjoy-Depression can push
you to give into your fatigue. It may feel more powerful than happy emotions.
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