Fill in the Anger Log columns as instructed below:
- Date/Time: When did the incident occur
- Situation: Describe the incident that resulted in the anger
- Emotional Arousal: Rate your angry FEELINGS on a scale of 1-10 (frustration or mild annoyance = 1 or 2, fully enraged = 9 or 10)
- Aggressive Behavior: Rate your angry REACTION/ACTION on a scale of 1-10 (refraining from doing anything = 1 or 2, damaging nonliving object = 7 or 8, becoming physical with another person = 9 or 10)
- Trigger Thoughts: What thoughts did you have leading up to and at the moment that anger was triggered? (we are not always consciously aware of these thoughts, so this will take some practice. These are the interpretations in our mind about why a thing has happened. For example, “He did that on purpose” , “She only thinks about herself” , “I am so stupid”. These have a tremendous impact on how we deal with situations and how our emotions/anger respond. This often speak to our past life experiences more than to the actual situation)
- The Big Question: What do I need right now to be okay, and to be healthy in the long-term? (We will discuss this column later, in module 2)
It can’t be emphasized enough how helpful it will be for you to keep a record of your anger situations. Notice any patterns to your situation, for example what kinds of situations do you tend to feel intense anger but keep it inside? Alternatively, in what kinds of situations do you blow up? The patterns will give you clues to what issues tend to be problems for you once you have identified your problem areas, you can begin to resolve them.