Human beings are emotional by nature. They tend to express their feelings based on the situations arising in their daily lives. Anger is a natural feeling that when left unchecked can permeate a person’s entire life and contribute to unhappiness, depression and sometimes violence. Uncontrolled anger is detrimental both to the individual expressing it and to the people around him or her. Consequences of anger can be divorce, isolation and verbal and physical abuse.
Anger can be expressed actively or passively. Passive expression of anger is known as passive aggressive behavior. Passive aggression is defined in the dictionary as a deliberate and masked way of expressing covert feelings of anger. This form of angry expression is very dangerous, can hurt those around them, and can easily eat into a person's emotional stability. It is sneaky because the person rarely expresses their anger, but outwardly appears to be happy or fine with whatever the situation is. They will deflect any confrontation by telling other’s that they aren’t angry and they are blowing things out of proportion. They deny their angry behavior.
It is important to clearly identify behavioral patterns associated with passive aggression in order to understand and rehabilitate someone with this personality disorder. Passive aggressive people often try to avoid responsibility for tasks they are not interested in doing. They tend to use sarcasm to deflect confrontation and will avoid any direct discussion about the subject. They will also come across as being forgetful which is a quiet way of getting out of the task at hand. They might make up excuses or lie to get out of situations they don’t want to be in rather than just telling the truth. And, they are individuals who rarely accept blame, but bestow it on everyone around them. If individuals with this habit are able to learn how to recognize the warning signs of this pattern taking affect, they can then learn to disengage immediately before this behavior takes control of them. This self-control will benefit them in their daily lives.
Dealing with someone who is passive aggressive can drive the people around him or her crazy. Taking Anger Management Classes online is an excellent way of learning about this behavior and how to respond to it for positive results. They can help such individuals to directly engage their feelings and learn how to manage their emotions. These classes will teach non-judgmental strategies and self-talk.
For the family members or friends, it is important for those dealing with this behavior to learn how to confront the passive aggressive person without attacking his character and in a non-aggressive manner. Certain strategies if done correctly will help the passive aggressive person to gain insight into his behavior and how it is negatively affecting everyone around him. Classes can be taken in the privacy of your own home, at your own pace and can be taken with the support of the entire family. Remember those with this personality trait often have fragile egos, so confront them with care.
Ari Novick, Ph.D. is Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a certified anger management provider for both adults and adolescents. Dr. Novick is also an adjunct professor of psychology at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.
He is Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a certified anger management provider for both adults and adolescents. Click here for more information on Anger Management Classes
Dr. Ari Novick is a psychotherapist who provides world class 8 hour anger Classes online.