Often we are taught that anger is a destructive and explosive emotion. Yes, it's true, sometimes anger can lead people to behave in such ways, but there's more to it than just the negative connotations.

Anger is a natural human emotion. Often it is quite a powerful one. We all feel it at times and it can really teach us about what matters to us. When we feel angry about a situation or towards a person, it's often because a belief or idea we hold important has been threatened, creating a sense of fear inside of us. Sometimes anger acts as a disguise for fear or sadness about a particular situation. Anger can also be an indicator that our boundaries have been crossed.

If we allow ourselves to reflect on this, we can stumble upon great insights into ourselves. "What is my anger responding to?" "What can my feelings tell me about this situation?" "How can I use these feelings in a productive way?"

Anger can be a great motivator. Channeling our anger about a situation, can cause us to want to change and challenge ourselves and the world around us. This may seem like a frightening thought at first, but only once we are able to acknowledge the existence of our own emotions, can we use them in a productive way.

by Dr Adila Mahmood, counselling psychologist