One Day at a Time
The Anger Is Real. Here’s How to Manage It.
Daily insights on life in the face of uncertainty, by psychiatrist and habit change specialist Dr. Jud Brewer
Earlier this week, I hosted a live office hours on YouTube so that people who don’t have access to a psychiatrist could come to me with questions about how to cope with fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Someone asked how to deal with anger and used the examples of fake news and people not taking this pandemic seriously as things that caused it.
I want to explore anger more in today’s column — the different types, where anger comes from, and what to do when it shows up. If we’re not careful, the way we react to frustrating triggers can add fuel to the fires of irritation and anger, and our responses can blow up in our faces instead of helping us move through the tough moment.
Let’s start with the seeds of anger. Think back to the last time you were angry. Anger doesn’t just come out of the blue—it starts somewhere. Fire needs fuel and a spark to get going.
This applies to any situation, but right now, the coronavirus is that fuel. We are the spark. How do we use this fuel to create glowing embers of warm connection with people we love in difficult times, rather…
