Every Wednesday a health educator will launch a challenge. Members are encouraged to take on the challenge and post their results. Later in the week, an educator will post specific tips and strategies to aid you in the way you look/interpret yourself and the way you view the world.

This week’ challenge will pertain to anger…

Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems�problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life. And it can make you feel as though you're at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion.

Like other emotions, it is accompanied by physiological and biological changes; when you get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of your energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenalin.

Anger can be caused by both external and internal events. You could be angry at a specific person (Such as a coworker or supervisor) or event (a traffic jam, a canceled flight), or your anger could be caused by worrying or brooding about your personal problems. Memories of traumatic or enraging events can also trigger angry feelings.

Expressing Anger

The instinctive, natural way to express anger is to respond aggressively. Anger is a natural, adaptive response to threats; it inspires powerful, often aggressive, feelings and behaviors, which allow us to fight and to defend ourselves when we are attacked. A certain amount of anger, therefore, is necessary to our survival.

On the other hand, we can't physically lash out at every person or object that irritates or annoys us; laws, social norms, and common sense place limits on how far our anger can take us.

People use a variety of both conscious and unconscious processes to deal with their angry feelings. The three main approaches are expressing, suppressing, and calming. Expressing your angry feelings in an assertive�not aggressive�manner is the healthiest way to express anger. To do this, you have to learn how to make clear what your needs are, and how to get them met, without hurting others. Being assertive doesn't mean being pushy or demanding; it means being respectful of yourself and others.

How often do you feel angry? Today we challenge you to keep count with a pen and paper. As you track, don’t forget to note the 5 W’s of your anger: Who was there? What happened? Where did it happen? And why did it happen?

Don’t forget to share your results and to pop in for part II!