Armed forces resettlement is by no means straight forward as we have discussed in previous articles. One major problem ex-forces personnel are likely to encounter is Managing Anger. Anger is quite a negative emotion as it causes blood pressure to raise, tunnel vision, lack of reasoning and the fight or flight response which could spell trouble for the angry person.
Managing anger then is essential if someone going through the transition from a military to a civilian life is to have a successful resettlement. But in order to get a grip of this problem let's take a closer look at what anger really is. Anger is a natural emotional response to external stimuli perceived by the individual to pose a threat. In recent times anger has become the focus for the attentions of the scientific community. It is seen in some cases to be the precursor to an aggressive or violent outcome. The great thing is you can become angry without a negative outcome simply by Managing anger.
Social effects of explosive anger:
· Violent offending
· Murder
· Manslaughter
· Marital Violence
· Family violence
· Increased risk of Heart disease
· High blood pressure
· Loss of social status
· Loss of job
· Loss of liberty
Anger can also be a side effect of alcohol and substance use and even be a symptom of PTSD. The list could go on but I think that there are some pretty serious issues that need to be considered by those with anger problems. Therefore it would seem that managing anger is an essential part of your strategies when considering leaving the armed forces. If you have already made the transition and have noticed that you have difficulties controlling anger then you need to seek help with that too before you or someone else ends up seriously hurt.
"How can I control my anger"? Well as with anxiety there are ways that anyone can successfully control their anger. Remember managing anger is essential in order to have a successful resettlement. So we will briefly look at a strategy that can be employed, relaxation techniques. Basically this involves a daily routine of controlling breathing, and tension exercises (more detail on this can be found in the article: Post Traumatic Stress Disoder (PTSD) Related Panic Attack & Anxiety).
These exercises when practised on a daily basis twice a day (each set takes about 5 minutes) can help a person to become more aware of their bodies reaction to tension and relaxation. When becoming angry the breathing exercises can be employed to achieve a much calmer persona although you may still be angry the reaction to the stimuli will be much more considered thus avoiding the explosive anger which could lead to aggression or violence.
Another technique that could be used in Managing Anger is a process of reflection. All this really means is looking back on that days/weeks events or anytime in the past and thinking of a situation that caused you to feel angry. Focus on that event, ask yourself: What was it? How did I feel about it? What did I do about the situation? How could I have reacted differently? How could I react next time a similar situation occurs for a more positive outcome? Write each of the questions and your answers to them down in a journal to keep a record. This will help you to identify triggers to your angry responses. In identifying triggers you will be better placed to find solutions to these triggers. This is a useful exercise in managing anger.
Also you need to remember that Transition from military to civilian life is a process of change. This can bring about some emotional responses to the change of situation and you guessed it managing anger plays a key role. Changes in role, social status, pay, security, accommodation and other conditions can make life seem difficult, dull, boring and in some extreme cases even pointless.
When it seems that nobody cares about you or your military background, when people seem to think that their opinions are worth more than your own - this can make you feel angry. But remember there is nothing wrong with the emotion of anger so long as you are controlled and successfully managing anger.
http://www.militarymentalhealth.blogspot.com
Email: richard@militarymentalhealth.co.uk
Richard Williams is a Registred Nurse in Mental Health, DipHE, Cert.PM EMDR Trained, Managing Director of Military Mental Health CIC and UK Armed Forces Veteran. During resettling to a civilian life from a military one he encountered difficulties including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
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