Dear Elinor,
One of the problems I experience is getting stuck several times a day
at work or at home. By this I mean I get extremely impatient that I am
not able to resolve a problem immediately and this followed by anxiety
and an overwhelming to desire to act out with one of several addictions.
After reading your article it became clear to me that this is all anger
and rage turned inwards. So recently I began writing about my
frustrations whenever they occur. I let my fingers go and they
invariably return to some anger about a childhood experience that was
rage-provoking. When I am done lambasting the abusers I feel a great
sense of relief and am able to move on. My concern is that when I do
this more of these rage related blocks occur and they seem to occupy
much of my day. Any suggestions for how to deal with this?
Roger

P.S. Sharper Image sells something called a Slam Man a human size dummy
with flashing lights that one punches with a pair of boxing gloves
included with the unit. What do u think of this as a tool for rage
release?

Dear Roger,
Someone else also found it useful at work to write. She would jab her
pen into the paper. Another person retreated to the mens' room and did
some banging on the wall. It's difficult to deal with the detox crises
at work, but it's OK not to resolve it everytime there is a trigger,
even to stuff the anger if needed. You will get another chance. It's a
periodic detox process that is unconscious. But it may be enough to just
mentally talk to yourself in a quiet way. When I was in public, I would
often just say to my parents in my mind, "Get out of my head" or fu. I
still use the fu prayer quietly in public when someone angers me. Any
kind of mentally redirecting of the anger will help. It doesn't always
have to be physical.

I love the Slam man, sounds great.
Ellie