Researchers from Nagoya University have demonstrated how a certain strategy can help control anger.
It is normal to get angry from time to time. After all, anger is one of the basic human emotions. However, it is crucial to learn how to manage this emotion effectively, as uncontrolled anger can have detrimental effects on both your well-being and relationships. Studies have shown a link between uncontrolled anger and health issues, such as headaches, heart problems, insomnia, depression, hypertension, and stroke. Letting anger go out of control can also lead to arguments and physical altercations with other people, as well as self-harm.
There are many strategies you can use to control your anger. These strategies include relaxation techniques, such as meditation and yoga, and behavioral therapy. However, they may require practice or can be expensive.
Fortunately, a group of researchers from Nagoya University in Japan has identified a new, easy-to-implement, inexpensive strategy for controlling anger. In their study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Scientific Reports, they described how writing down feelings of anger on a sheet of paper and then disposing of the paper can help cause anger to subside.
During the study, the researchers asked 98 people to write an essay about a certain social issue, such as smoking in public. Then, they gave them handwritten critical and insulting comments on their essays, regardless of the actual quality of the submissions. After the participants read the comments, they were asked to answer subjective emotional questionnaires to gauge their reactions. The questionnaires revealed that all of them became angry about the negative feedback.
Subsequently, the researchers instructed the participants to write what they were feeling on a sheet of paper. The researchers then divided the participants into two groups. The members of the first group were asked to place their written reflections in clear plastic folders and leave them on a desk, while those of the second group were directed to dispose of their written reflections in a trash can or a shredder. Afterward, all the participants were required to fill out subjective emotional questionnaires again to assess any changes in their emotional state. Based on the results, the participants who disposed of their written reflections experienced a more significant reduction in their anger levels than those who did not.
“This study presents a new and convenient method for eliminating subjective anger. This method offers a cost-effective way to eliminate anger in various situations, including business meetings, childcare, and clinical applications,” inferred the researchers.