Refocusing Anger: Difference between revisions

When we identify these types of [[Mental Triggers]] that take us into distorted thought patterns, through noticing our tension, anxiety or frustration levels, we can switch the balance in ourselves to find a way to release our stress. Immediately we can shift tension through refocusing our mind into breath, or refocusing into the current moment sensory-feeling awareness. By refocusing oneself at the moment tension or stress is being experienced, it prevents impulsive reactions such as blurting out negative words or expressing angry behavior. When we express angry behavior impulsively, it is usually is not a pleasant or positive situation for ourselves or others around us. When we have allowed anger to make us impulsive it means we have embodied that angry state, which is not a healthy practice for anyone. This is very emotionally damaging in a person and in creating relationships based on [[Trust, Building Trust|trust with others]].  In most social situations, it is preferable to recognize anger and learn to observe that anger as it builds without allowing the angry state of being to overwhelm and take over one’s body, mind and emotions. It is possible to witness and feel anger instantaneously and to refocus that anger immediately, in so to refuse anger to become your identity as a person.

As one learns how to refocus one’s thoughts, one prevents overwhelming states of emotion from triggering impulsive behaviors and angry reactions. As one develops strong impulse control they are learning a form of ego discipline through applied [[Spirit of Patience|patience]]. If we check in and find that we do not like what we may be feeling, we can learn better the reasons for that by further shifting into the observer mode. In our community, we call that process of observing as  shifting from identifying with a thought or feeling by moving ourselves into the compassionate witness. As a [[Compassionate Witness]] we have no judgment of thoughts or feelings, we hold no judgment of what we are observing in the external, we only observe those thoughts and feelings in our self and others. When we can fully observe through our own [[Compassionate Witness]], we then become neutral and centered. Then, we can immediately find relief from our inner anxiety, fears and a host of other thought distortions. This process is key to shifting ego defense mechanisms, thought addiction tendency and releasing the anxiety or fear of feeling emotional depth or pain. By continually using an ego defense mechanism to avoid facing the source causation of the anxiety or deeply rooted fear, (which is unresolved pain or trauma) we are only perpetuating the mental looping which uses denial of the truth in order to avoid feeling pain or discomfort. Denial of the truth is the seed of all [[Ego Defense Mechanism]]s.

 

* Confirmation bias: is the strong human tendency to dismiss or distort evidence or facts that are contrary to our acceptable beliefs and readily seek out any kind of evidence that supports our views.  

*Splitting: Splitting is a very common ego defense mechanism. It can be defined as the division or polarization of beliefs, actions, objects, or persons into good and bad by focusing selectively through ones own confirmation bias, on their positive or negative attributes.