Have you heard of the phrases?
- Going Postal
- Cheerleader Mom
- Soccer Dad
These phrases describe behavior that is related to a mood disorder called IED (intermittent explosive disorder) and it seems that about 7.3% of American adults have. There are a number of studies being done in American psychiatry in order to diagnose, treat and help to avoid the dangerous consequences of such behavior.
Most people who are susceptible to IED are prone to bouts of anxiety and depression as well as more likely to suffer from substance abuse. One of the signs of IED is a sudden, explosive anger that is way over the top and can lead to things like physical attacks and shattering inanimate objects. Imagine, for a moment, the soccer dad who leaps on and attacks a referee at his son’s game because he doesn’t like a call.
More often than not, there are feelings of remorse afterwards, but that does not relieve the effect that IED can have on a person. So what does this have to do with fitness? For most of us, whether we suffer from IED, which is a very serious condition, or simply have so much stress and anxiety in our lives that we are prone to a bad temper – exercise can help.
While there are a number of behavioral therapies that can help a person with IED or any mood disorder for that matter – exercise can help a person to act in opposition to their negative, destructive emotions. When you are seriously stressed or anxious, you are likely to be far more irritable. Exercise can provide a serious outlet for the excess emotions.
This is often seen in athletes in intensely physical sports. Once upon a time, they would be teased up into a rage like an attack dog – then they were sent in to attack, maul and destroy their opponent. This could lead to a vicious fight in boxing, but it could also lead to serious injuries as fraying tempers exploded on the playing field.
It’s important to be aware of this, because these behaviors can manifest in younger athletes and children involved in sports. This bad attitude is drummed into children who are told that winning is everything and second place is for losers. It can lead to explosive displays of temper from the kids and even worse displays from the adults.
A healthy mindset is one thing, but exercise can help to alleviate these feelings of aggression and stress. It can redirect the destructive towards the constructive. If you wonder how this works, take a few minutes the next time you are seriously annoyed or upset about something and go for a hard, brisk walk for ten to fifteen minutes. You will channel the adrenaline released by your anger towards a more constructive outlet and you will also release endorphins that make you feel better. At the end of the ten to fifteen minute brisk walk – you will feel better.
Learn to understand how to redirect your anger through regular, focused exercise and help your children how to do the same. It’s important to teach positive outlets and to avoid situations such as those seen on the six o’clock news. IED is a serious psychiatric mood disorder and if you suspect that you or someone you love is suffering from it, then it is important to consult a medical professional.
For the rest of us, it is turning a negative into a positive and working harder, to redirect our anger.
How do you cope with anger?
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