Anger is a powerful emotion. How you handle anger will influence how well you can cope. Someone may behave in a way that you perceive as selfish, inconsiderate or mean spirited and, as a result, your automatic reaction may be to feel that you, or others dear to you, have been harmed. The possibly careless or rude act carries with it the suggestion that you are less significant or less worthy of esteem than you would wish. You feel angry. When you are depressed, you are more likely to jump to such a conclusion and fly off the handle. So what should you do about it? In this article we will discuss some common myths about anger and suggest some healthy ways to deal with your anger.

Fighting has its place and its time. It is a natural response that mobilizes your physical resources. You breathe deeper. Your heart pumps blood to all parts of the body. Your body is on red alert. It is a survival reaction. But what happens if you get angry on a golf course? You may possess enough control to stop yourself from breaking clubs, but nonetheless your game falls apart at that point. There is no doubt that uncontrolled anger diminishes performance in all spheres. Even in contact sports, such as football, athletes have to learn to turn anger on or off at will. At work, anger is even more damaging. Outbursts alienate co-workers and scare subordinates. But above all, from a performance perspective, you lose your focus. The threat, or perceived threat, diminishes your thinking.