Читать книгу Managing Anger: Simple Steps to Dealing with Frustration and Threat - Gael Lindenfield, Gael Lindenfield - Страница 17

Once we have perceived a threat, either externally through our senses or in our mind through our imagination, there are two routes the anger response can take. The first is the one I have called The Wisdom Way. This route is the one which has been evolved for humans to use in everyday situations. It travels through our sophisticated, thinking brain centres. It is the route anger takes when we have (or imagine we have) time to reflect on the nature of the threat and choose an appropriate response.

The second route which the anger response uses I have called The Jungle Speedway. This is one designed for emotional emergencies. Our anger response will travel down this route if we need (or imagine that we need) to react instinctively and instantly in order to protect either ourselves or someone in our care, such as a young child. It is the fast-track to the primitive fight/flight/freeze response.

Let’s now take a look at each of these routes in action. In the following examples you will see how either of the two routes could be taken in the same person, even when the very same anger trigger is present.

Please note: this illustration does not give the full, complex picture of Anger’s Emotional Journeys. I have selected the stages in the process which are relevant to our anger management work.