Buddha is quoted as once saying, “Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” Letting go of your anger over various life issues is an important part of the recovery process.
And we at Turning Point Recovery Center in Albuquerque, NM want to help you with that step.
There Is Nothing Wrong With Negative Thoughts
Everyone has negative thoughts and feelings at some point and this does NOT mean there is something wrong with you. Where it becomes a concern is when your negative thoughts increase in frequency and duration. In this case it might be a good idea to seek help.
The point of treatment for anger and negativity is to be able to spot an emotional issue within yourself before it turns into a mental health problem such as depression, suicidal thoughts, anger, or rage.
Where Do I Begin?
The reason why most of us harbor anger so strongly is because we don’t know where to begin to let go of that anger. Unfortunately, the answer I have for you is not one most people like to hear. We live in a blaming society where everyone likes to point the finger at someone else.
But when you point a finger at someone else, there are three more pointing back at you… To start to deal with anger, we have to look within ourselves instead of at external factors.
Yes, I understand that when your spouse hid the car keys from you it made you angry. But did they hide the keys because you were under the influence and it was unsafe for you to drive? Most likely yes, or you wouldn’t be here.
In this situation, you are not mad at your spouse. You think you are, but you’re not. You are mad at yourself. You are mad because deep down inside of you, you know you were too intoxicated to drive.
So while your situation may not be the exact example I gave above the answer remains the same. To begin to deal with anger you have to stop looking at other people and figure out why you are so angry or upset about your issue.
We have a lot of treatment options available and all of them will help you recover on an emotional basis as well. You have to take care of your mental health to be able to take care of your addiction. Take the test here to see if you need help with an addiction.
What Are The Signs Of A Problem?
Again, I want to mention here, that having an emotion is completely normal. We aren’t robots, we don’t walk around catatonic and no one wants that for you. Here is a list of common abilities everyone should have. Use these to evaluate your mental and emotional health.
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Having the ability to deal with stressful situations
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Self-confidence or having healthy self esteem
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Having a good balance between life and work
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Having the ability to build and keep strong relationships
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Having a feeling of meaning and purpose in your life
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Having a passion for life
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Feeling content
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Laughter and joy in your life
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Adapting to change
These are things that someone with good emotional and mental health should be able to do on a daily basis. If you are having issues with any of these things it may be time to seek professional help. And after all, we’re here to help.
-Paul
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