– Anger Reductions and Brain Connections

Last Updated on May 4, 2023 by Chris Roberts

LEARNING HOW YOUR BRAIN WORKS CAN HELP REDUCE ANGER OUTBURSTS

References “How to Heal the Angry Brain.  Mad Men.” an article in Psychotherapy Networker magazine by Ron Potter-Efron

Usually, when a person starts talking about brain physiology and neurons and synapses the other people in the room slip into a coma.  However, in a recent article by Rob Potter-Efron in Psychotherapy Networker, Potter-Efron argues that discussing anger from a brain functioning perspective is sometimes the most honoring way to address anger with a person who has a habit of responding to disappointing situations with anger.  As described in a previous article, anger is not something people are born with or an automatic response that has no historical basis. Instead, anger is usually a learned, behavioral response.  However, for most people this learned response was formed early in childhood or adolescence in a time when most people’s brains aren’t developed enough to understand that they are training themselves and creating patterns for response for the rest of their lives.  And so, these responses, in this case anger or rage or antagonism, become embedded as neurological connections that make it appear that the angry response is automatic, or unfiltered, or untrained.

Potter-Efron writes,

“…chronically angry people have become lifelong victims of what’s sometimes called negative neuroplasticity.  They’ve unintentionally trained their brains so well, through countless repetitions of undesired behavior (at least, undesired by the rest of the world), that they’re primed to think, feel, and say things that increase their own anger.”

This is a wonderful summary of what happens for a person, and particularly inside a person’s brain, that creates the scenario of repetitive anger.  It also sheds light on the reality that a person acting out of anger in a specific situation, is more than likely responding to trained patterns that this person created from past occurrences.  Referring to the concept of neuroplasticity, Potter-Efron is touching on the brain’s flexible, a.k.a plastic-like, ability to be formed, trained, bent, created in a particular way dependent on a person’s actions.  And just as the brain can be molded in the vein of anger, it can also be molded to respond in a different manner.  However, the brain creates these plastic-like frameworks of response in order to shorten the time it takes to respond to certain stimuli.  So, for example, when a person reacts with yelling and screaming to their child who spills their drink on the carpet, the person reacting in anger isn’t aware of the myriad of chain reactions that is set off by the accidental spilling of the drink.  To the person reacting in anger (and those in that person’s wake), it appears to be an automatic response.  It appears as if the spilling the drink caused the person to react with anger.  In reality, that is not the whole story.

Just as when you shoot a basketball, or run long distances, or even sit in your desk chair, you begin to form muscle memory that helps your body adjust quicker and more efficiently to physical activity.  In short, it is part of what helps people become better at what they do: the more they practice, the better they become.  The same principle applies within the brain, although most people are unaware of this, especially in comparison to the public’s understanding of muscle memory.  It would be similar to asking a long distance runner to go out and compete in the 100 yard dash.  Even though both disciplines fall within the category of running, they have very different training regimens and performing techniques.

The same concept applies to anger.  Even though anger is an emotion as is happiness and sadness and disappointment, asking a person who chronically responds with anger to “simply respond with a different emotion,” is not on any level as easy as it sounds.  As Potter-Efron states, it is not only that angry people respond to certain stimuli almost automatically with anger, they also “think, feel, and say things that increase their own anger.”

If you or someone you know is dealing with the frustrating effects of anger, it may be beneficial to work with an anger therapist to help process these emotions and others.  A counselor effective in working with anger management will not only focus on limiting anger, but also in uncovering other patterns and beliefs.  Anger management is not only about stopping angry responses, but learning to be aware of your body, mind, and surroundings.  If you live in the Nashville, tn area, please feel free to contact us with more information or concerns.