anger

Over the years, I have seen how my female owner struggle with intense negative emotions – anger, depression and stress. Sometimes anxiety. In such times, using her emotions to guide her actions tended to cause her to be rash and do things on impulse (only to regret later).

Both my female owner and I have learnt that growing older does NOT protect one from behaving like a teenager. Neither does pursuing a postgrad in psychology.

After a long time of not feeling so “intense”, my female owner experienced what she called the “maddest day of her life in Brisbane” today. Cutting a super long story (of grievances short), she was very angry with her second clinical supervisor (Mr Dubious).

She didn’t realise how emotionally aroused she was until her Therapist called her for a random chat (such uncanny timing, given that her Therapist had been MIA for almost a week). Blurting out her anger, my female owner soon found herself in tears over the situation. And shortly after, she was laughing and crying at the same time, much to her confusion (my female owner later found out that she was probably having hypoxia).

My female owner realised that the more she ventilated, the angrier she became. She ended so annoyed that she decided to camp in school to pretend to do some work after her last client appointment ended at 2030. She just didn't want to go home to a house full of people (there are 5 other people in her house now) and force herself to make small talk when it is not in her nature to do so. She just wanted to be herself (which is not talking to anyone if she doesn't want to).

While her Intuitive Fren (who spent some time dissecting her emo outburst) felt that it was odd of her to do that ("if you can only be yourself when you are alone, then how would people know the real you?"), her Onli Fren (who also tried to hear her out despite her competing priority) felt that it was perfectly understandable ("this is the -female owner's name- I know!"). The MSN exchanges were helpful in reducing her angst to a more acceptable level.

To top the night off, her Impromptu Frens called her for a chat. Again, another round robin catch-up with everyone in the group.

How to stay upset, when there are so many friends to lift your spirits??