This fortnight we are starting our first emotion discussion talking about Anger.  

Anger is an emotion that we all feel from time to time. It is a natural response to situations in which we feel offended or wronged doing and is usually triggered by external factors, for example, injustice, humiliation, or illnesses, etc. It is generally a quick and intense emotion. 

The base emotion of anger can be felt in many ways. We often describe anger by saying “I feel frustrated, I feel annoyed, I feel infuriated”.  

Let’s use the emotions of anger and frustration as an example. They are often referred to in conjunction, however there are some underlying differences between the emotions and how it is felt.  

Frustration refers to dissatisfaction or disappointment with specific situations, ie when a person fails to fulfill their desires up to their expected level. It is a mix of feeling hopeless, discouraged, sad, and disappointed. It is generally slow and steady, and built up internally. This is just one example of the complexity of anger, and how it is felt.  

There are many different ways that we can feel and experience anger, and this is where the emotion wheel can help us to name how anger shows up in our lives. For this discussion, we are focussing on the red section of the wheel: 

Feeling anger 

When we feel anger, it can impact how we act. This discussion is about exploring what anger looks like in our lives, how we feel it in our body, how we act when we are angry, and what we can do to cope with anger and frustration. 

When we can identify how anger shows up for us, and some of the signs we might be experiencing anger, we can take steps to manage the emotion and make better decisions when it comes to our actions.

This discussion will talk about themes such as anger and frustration, and may topics that could be upsetting or triggering for those reading along. There are questions we have planned ahead of time to keep this conversation safe and constructive, but if at any time you feel distressed, you are welcome to reach out to our peer support or counselling services for additional support.