Does it Help to Growl if You’re Angry? Is it Crazy to do this
Yes, apparently it does.
According to clinical psychologist Paul W. Schenk, Psy.D.
- Growling is not mistreating anyone unfairly.
- No words are spoken, so, there is no need for an apology for using hurtful words or disgusting language.
Personally, I have found it useful when confronted with a problem.
My thoughts might be thinking something else, but problems need to be solved/overcome, swearing and yelling will not solve them, nor will growling. There has to be positive action. The more quickly that happens the better.
Well, maybe one or two words will slip out.
If someone else is responsible for the problem and he owns it, there is no point carrying on like a pork chop.
Two heads are better than one (usually).
Working together to solve the problem will provide a lesson for one, and possibly a sigh of relief for the other.
Of course, it could be really a very serious problem in the workplace and someone gets fired!
According to Paul Schenk, growling if we are angry is how we feel about an event, not the event itself.
And growling helps to swing your mood from angry, to one of evaluation.
Hence, you are better able to deal with the issue if your mindset is happier.
Is it Normal for Humans to Growl if they are Angry
YES, and you're not going crazy!
It is normal and even recommended by many psychologists and other practitioners.
Animals growl because they are giving a warning, the deeper the growl the closer they are getting ready to attack.
But growling like a dog or some other animal is not a natural expressive sound for humans.
However, when we are angry we do sometimes lower the pitch of our voices, which is similar to growling.
We sometimes make an almost growl-like sound to express frustration-sometimes spelled “Arg!” or even “grrrr!”
It’s not a true growl, and it’s not normally aggressive, but it’s clearly related
Anger is a Natural Emotion
Like laughing, crying, or fear. It is nothing to be ashamed of.
Keeping it under control is a problem for so many people.
How many instances of domestic violence could have been averted if they had growled at each other instead of slaps, punches, and worse?
I am sure two people growling at each other won’t come to blows.
Hugs and laughter are more likely then hopefully, a rational discussion follows.
Of course, there are always exceptions.
Road rage is one.
If someone cuts me off and then brakes hard, my first reaction is expletives flowing from my mouth, and feeling my blood pressure rise as I stomp on the brakes.
All those words usually mean nothing though, as I drive with the window up and air-con on.
If there is no damage done I give thanks, but I have seen others’ reactions go completely over the top.
The worse thing about road rage is you never know who you are up against.
Anger is Part of Life
Some people have what is termed slow fuses, others have short fuses.
The people with short fuses let it all go at once.
People with slow fuses can sometimes have a problem, as their anger develops into something more sinister.
Each slight goes into the memory bank until there is enough anger built up for the human equivalent of a nuclear explosion.
None of us are perfect enough to be devoid of anger.
There are others among us who developed a personality disorder from an accident or playing contact sports.
Anger is not an attractive trait, and it can be extremely destructive when people lose total control of themselves.
I knew a project manager who told me that, “when he was younger he was a complete idiot.”
It took him about 5 years to get it under control.
Back then his options were limited to psychologists/psychiatrists recommended by the company.
Other options such as hypnosis, were still considered esoteric, although some people used them and got the results they wanted.
There is a limit to everything though.
Unless and until your anger offends others, or hurts others, getting a problem off your chest is good.
These days anger can be considered abuse (it often is), and there are severe consequences for people verbally abusing others.
I know it is easier said than done but…
You letting go of your anger doesn’t mean you’re forgiving the other person. It means you’re freeing yourself from pain.
There are lots of courses on anger management, run by governments, corporates, and private institutions.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave a comment.
Originally published at https://the-bare-foot-affiliate.com on September 7, 2022.