Attacks of aggression in a child. Attacks of aggression in women: causes and treatment. Attacks of excessive aggression in men

Negative emotions and attacks of aggression occur to everyone from time to time, but while most of us prefer to restrain ourselves, some people cannot restrain themselves and experience uncontrollable attacks of aggression. Aggression in men and women today is generally frowned upon. But the number of people who are unable to cope with their emotions is not getting smaller, and their families and close people suffer from attacks of aggression in men - it is on them that most of the negative emotions. What to do with irritability and aggression in men and is it possible to cope with this problem on your own?

Aggressive behavior is considered more characteristic of males. This is due to both the action of hormones and social factors, as well as education. Some men continue to consider it a variant of the norm, not realizing that aggressive behavior not only spoils their relationship with others, but also negatively affects their own well-being.

It is customary to distinguish between “positive” or benign aggression - in the form of defensive reactions, courage or sporting achievements - and negative or malignant aggression, characteristic only of humans. Under the influence of such a reaction, a person commits destructive, sharply negative actions that are not approved by society.

There are many types of attacks of aggression in men, the reasons for their occurrence can also be different:

• Diseases internal organs– sharp and chronic diseases internal organs, accompanied by pain and other symptoms, often cause irritability and aggression in men. Especially if such patients are not treated and hide their condition from others.
• Hormonal imbalance - the level of aggressiveness depends on the concentration of testosterone and some other hormones in the blood. Hormonal imbalance can be caused by thyrotoxicosis, diseases of the pancreas, adrenal glands and other glands.
• Neurological diseases and injuries – increased intracranial pressure, injuries and other pathologies nervous system may cause aggressive behavior.
• Personality disorder - unmotivated aggression may indicate serious problems with the psyche, there are many, one of the main signs of which is the patient’s aggressiveness.
• Psychological trauma - too strict upbringing, experiences of violence and aggression in childhood often provoke outbursts of aggression in men in adulthood.
• Stress - negative experiences, irritation, personal failures and other problems cause hidden or obvious irritation, which easily turns into aggression.
• Overfatigue - excessive physical and neuropsychic stress causes exhaustion of the nervous system, loss of control over one’s feelings and behavior.
• Use of alcohol and psychoactive substances - under the influence of these substances, a person’s character and attitude change. If you cannot get a new dose psychoactive substance or during the period of abstinence, a person’s aggressiveness increases several times, and restraining motives (social, moral) cease to exert their influence.
• Features of character and upbringing - sometimes aggressiveness can be a character trait or the result of not proper education. In such cases, manifestations of aggression can only be dealt with through self-control and learning other ways to resolve conflicts.

Kinds

Male aggression can be different. There are several main types of aggressive behavior.

Active aggression– negative emotions “splash out” in the form of destructive actions, words or behavior. Active aggression, in turn, is divided into physical, verbal, and expressive.

• Physical – when a person uses his strength to cause harm or destruction.
• Verbal or verbal - negative emotions are manifested by shouting, swearing, and cursing.
• Expressive – expressed by non-verbal means of communication: facial expressions, gestures, intonation.

Auto aggression– aggressive actions are directed at oneself. In this state, people can harm themselves real harm, cause physical harm.

Passive or hidden- this type of aggression is typical for family relations. Not wanting to enter into an open conflict, people ignore requests made to them and do not complete the assigned work. Passive aggression in men is considered a socially acceptable form of relationship. But often, people who do not give themselves the opportunity to openly express their experiences “accumulate” negative emotions, which can lead to an explosion.

The most common types of aggression in men are considered to be family, alcohol and drugs. Aggressive man in modern world can rarely find a socially acceptable outlet for his feelings, therefore, his aggression manifests itself in family and personal relationships, as well as when “disinhibition” of emotions after taking alcoholic beverages or drugs.

Family- most common species aggression. A husband's aggression can be expressed both in physical actions and in moral violence, constant nagging or passive failure to fulfill the duties of a husband and father. The reasons for family aggression in men can be different: misunderstanding and stressful situations, jealousy, financial or domestic problems, as well as violations sex life or neglect of household responsibilities.

Alcohol and drug aggression – toxic effect alcoholic drinks and drugs on the brain causes the death of nerve cells and reduces a person’s ability to adequately perceive the situation. Disinhibition of instincts leads to the fact that a person stops following generally accepted norms of behavior and returns to the “primitive” state.

Treatment

Aggressive men rarely seek help themselves; usually, the wives of aggressors ask how to deal with their husband’s aggression.

There are a lot of ways to deal with aggression, but the most important thing is a person’s understanding and desire to cope with his character. It is impossible to help a domestic tyrant who takes pleasure in intimidating his family. Such a person does not see a problem in his behavior and does not want to change anything.

When communicating with such people or when interacting with aggressive people, which you are not going to help, you should follow the following rules:

• No Contact – Avoid any conversation, communication or any interaction with such people.
• Do not answer questions and do not give in to provocations - this is the most important thing when dealing with family aggressors. No matter how difficult it may be, you must not give in to various methods provocations and remain calm.
• Asking for help is important not to be shy and not to become dependent on the aggressor. Seeking help helps avoid further aggression.

You can cope with attacks of aggression on your own using the following techniques:

• Control over your behavior - you need to know what situations or factors can cause aggression and avoid such situations or find other ways to solve the problem.
• The ability to relax - the ability to switch and reset nervous tension helps reduce aggression.
• Breathing exercises or physical exercises - good way To cope with aggression is to do some exercises or “breathe” through emotions.
• Sedatives – herbal preparations help cope with irritability, improve sleep and reduce aggression.

Regular attacks of aggression are a reason to consult a neurologist, endocrinologist and therapist. Only after excluding endocrine and neurological diseases You can begin treatment for aggression. It is equally important to establish a daily routine, reduce physical and mental stress and devote time to sports and walks in the fresh air every day.

The problem of treating aggressive conditions occupies a fairly large place in the literature devoted to the problem of aggressiveness in general. In the context of the treatment of these conditions, problems of definition are posed, clinical characteristics, etiology, neurochemical mechanisms of their occurrence, etc. Numerous theories of aggression and aggressive behavior have become the arena of clashes between supporters of biological and social prerequisites for the development of both individual behavioral manifestations and mental disorders in general. However, the presence of data on successful psychopharmacological correction of aggressive behavior (Ratey J.J. et al., 1993) indicates that even influencing only the biochemical mechanisms of behavior can have a significant impact on the general status of patients. Unfortunately, all studies devoted to this problem, as indicated by Pabis D.J. and Stanislav S.W. (1996) are based on a small number clinical observations.

Therapy for aggressive personality manifestations has the following basic requirements: achieving compensation for the general condition, reducing the number of aggressive behavioral acts and preventing aggressive behavior in the future. It has been suggested that the main primary method of treating aggressive behavior is pharmacotherapy (Pabis D.J., Stanislav S.W., 1996). The authors indicate that combinations of fast-acting benzodiazepines with potent antipsychotics are indicated for the treatment of acute aggression. Pharmacological effects on aggressive behavior, first of all, relies on the ability of various, mainly psychotropic, drugs to influence the level and ratio of neurotransmitters.

Today, a not very wide range of psychotropic drugs are used for the treatment of aggressive conditions, and most of them still require further clinical testing. New atypical antipsychotics – Risperdal, clozapine – are increasingly being accepted in clinical (psychiatric) practice. Substances such as lithium salts, beta blockers, carbamazepine, valproic acid, bushpirone, trazodone, serotonin reuptake inhibitors and others may be effective in the “chronic management” of aggressive behavior.

There is an opinion that the positive effect achieved by taking antipsychotics is the result of their sedating effect, however, as some sources indicate, the basis of their effect is most likely the antidopaminergic activity of antipsychotics and the ability to block postsynaptic dopamine and presynaptic alpha-adrenergic receptors (Dmitrieva E.B. et al. , 1998). The most commonly recommended drugs are thioridazine, chlorpromazine and haloperidol. The effectiveness of new atypical antipsychotics such as risperidone (Risperdal) in daily dose 1.5 - 2.5 mg, used for 7 - 10 days, especially in patients with signs of dementia of various etiologies (Jeanblanc W., Davis Y.B., 1995). Risperdal was tested by Goldberg R.J. et al. (1997) in patients with dementia with behavioral disorders in nursing homes. It was shown to be well tolerated and highly effective in 38 cases out of 100, and in 26 cases the effectiveness of the drug was assessed as average. It was completely ineffective in 19 cases.

There are numerous works indicating successful use periciazine (neuleptil), clozapine (leponex, azaleptin) in individually selected doses (Weinstein C.S. et al., 1993). Clozapine has been shown to be highly effective against verbal and physical aggression in patients with schizophrenia (Rabinowitz J. et al., 1996).

A number of experimental studies conducted on humans, animals and primates have shown the role of serotonin in the formation of aggressive behavior. In particular, Fuller R.W. (1996) showed that a decrease in serotonergic function can cause aggressive behavior and vice versa. There is evidence that fluoxetine (as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor) can cause aggression, as many convicts say. However clinical trials indicate that under the influence of fluoxetine, aggressiveness decreases. Laboratory experiments confirm the same. Our preliminary data on the use of Prozac in the treatment of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (who are known to exhibit high aggressiveness) confirm the greater effectiveness of this drug.

Second-line drugs effective for aggressive behavior in personality disorders include benzodiazepines. Ratey J. et al. (1991), Stanislav S.W. et al. (1994) point out high efficiency bushpirona.

Third-line drugs include clonidine (150–400 mcg per day), sodium valproate, tricyclic antidepressants and tryptophan. There are isolated reports in the literature about their effectiveness against aggressive behavior. Recommended dosages for these drugs have not been developed (Bazire S., 1997; Kemph J.P. et al., 1993). Valproic acid has been studied in more detail from this series, which has proven to be very effective in reducing destructive and aggressive behavior in patients with brain injury(Wroblewsky D.A et al., 1997). The clinical effect of the drug occurs fairly quickly (within a week) in the absence of sedation. The drug is especially effective for affective behavioral disorders– from depression to dysphoria. Some researchers note a high positive effect of carbamazepine in dosages of 600 mg per day for aggression, both in schizophrenia and epilepsy, and in personality disorders (Lewin J., Sumners D., 1992). Most authors recommend lithium salts (due to their effect on serotonin metabolism) in a standard dosage in courses lasting two months or more. The ability of lithium preparations to stop aggressive behavior in patients with delayed mental development, and at organic damage brain (Sheard M.H. et al., 1976; Craft M. et al., 1987).

The problem of treating aggressive conditions is still far from a final solution. But the solution to this issue, in my opinion, will shed light on the solution to the problem of the nature of human aggressiveness.

The reasons for aggressive behavior can be troubles at work, financial difficulties or everyday life. In men, this may be a consequence of prolonged sexual abstinence or jealousy. Such behavior is always unpleasant both to others and to the aggressor himself. Unlike clinical scoundrels who enjoy splashing out negativity on others, healthy people after bouts of rage, they experience remorse and try to make amends.

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Outbursts of anger that threaten the physical health of others are a symptom of a serious mental disorder that requires special treatment. Male aggression is especially destructive.

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Types of aggression

The famous psychologist Erich Fromm identified two main types of aggression: benign - the purpose of which is to protect one’s own interests and malignant - an acquired model of behavior associated with humiliation, exerting psychological pressure or even physical violence against others in order to increase one’s authority. Today, psychologists divide aggression into the following types:

1. 1. Active. Seen in people with destructive behavior, which is characterized by the predominance of physical methods of reprisal: swearing, shouting, constant dissatisfaction, intonation, facial expressions and gestures.
2. 2. Passive. It is more common in families with difficult relationships, when spouses ignore any requests from each other without entering into conflicts. This is typical for both women and men. Over time, negative emotions accumulate and one day spill out. The danger of passive aggression is that it becomes the cause of serious crimes against loved ones.
3. 3. Auto aggression. This condition is associated with negative energy directed inward. A person susceptible to auto-aggression inflicts physical harm(even to the grave) to oneself.
4. 4. Drug and alcohol. Occurs in a state of alcohol or drug intoxication due to the death of nerve cells. The person loses the ability to perceive correctly the world, surrendering to primitive instincts.
5. 5. Family. Is moral or physical pressure one partner in relation to another. Typically, the cause of such aggression is sexual dissatisfaction, jealousy, financial issues and lack of mutual understanding. In the animal world, males show precisely this type of aggression: whoever growls loudest owns the territory. This behavior (usually in men) destroys mental health relatives forced to be close to the aggressor. The extreme form of this type of aggression is a transition from threats and abuse to physical violence.
6. 6. Instrumental. Serves as a tool for obtaining desired result. For example, a person has the goal of boarding a shuttle bus, but there are no empty seats. He uses aggression towards one of the passengers so that he gives up his seat.
7. 7. Targeted or motivated. Pre-planned actions against a specific person. This could be revenge for betrayal, a desire to humiliate someone. Targeted aggression is usually shown by people who were raised in a dysfunctional family and did not know the care of their relatives.

The most common types of aggression are alcoholic and family. In such cases, people often ignore the help of psychologists and if the attacks do not affect others, relatives try to keep it secret. For this reason, such situations have become the norm in society, especially with regard to male aggression.

Causes

Uncontrolled aggression can manifest itself for certain psychological reasons or be a sign of the development of a serious pathology:

1. 1. Constant overwork and stress. Due to an overly active rhythm modern life people are constantly sleep deprived and tired. It leads to increased irritability and hot temper. Usually a person is not aware of such emotions, and when accumulated negativity is expressed in attacks of aggression, he does not understand the reasons for such a reaction.
2. 2. Hyperthyroidism- hormonal disorders, activity failure thyroid gland. This syndrome occurs more often in women. A person can feel hungry but still be underweight. A large amount of food consumed does not affect your figure in any way. Symptoms of the pathology are: increased nervousness, excessive activity, redness of the skin and excessive sweating.
3. 3. Excess weight. Excess fat promotes the production of estrogen in the body, which has negative impact on the psyche. To prevent this from happening, it is enough to get rid of excess weight.
4. 4. Tumors and injuries. Increased excitability often associated with damage to the cerebral cortex. At the same time, aggression and excessive activity are replaced by apathy. All of these symptoms indicate serious injury or the development of a malignant neoplasm.
5. 5. Personality disorders. Many people suffering from schizophrenia live normal lives and pose no danger to society. During periods of exacerbation, they experience an increase in aggressiveness, which requires special treatment.
6. 6. Neurological diseases. Uncontrollable seizures Aggression can be a sign of serious pathologies and often leads to the development of Alzheimer's disease. The patient gradually loses the meaning of life and withdraws into himself. Signs of pathology are increased aggressiveness and partial memory loss.
7. 7. Sociopathy, stress disorders and alcoholism. The first includes a character anomaly, when the patient does not need to communicate and is even afraid of it. This congenital pathology associated with underdevelopment of the nervous system. Stress disorders lead to hostility, especially when the person is regularly in the middle of problems. Uncontrollable outbursts of aggression are a symptom of alcoholism.



Features of aggression in men

In addition to the above reasons, uncontrolled outbreaks aggression is characteristic of male psychopaths. They are distinguished by pronounced emotionality, lack of discipline and restraint. Usually such people have alcohol addiction, a tendency to aggression and conflict. In relation to their partners, psychopaths often show excessive care and helpfulness: they look after beautifully and smile. All this is disingenuous. With this disease, a man is able to pretend and deceive a woman for a long time, after which, in a fit, he can humiliate, insult and abandon her.

A huge proportion of aggressive outbursts in men are due to hormonal imbalances. Human emotions largely depend on the ratio of important hormones, the lack of which leads not only to aggression, but also to serious depression or severe psychiatric pathologies. The hormone testosterone is responsible for sexual desire and aggression. That's why very rude and angry men are called "testosterone males." A lack of serotonin contributes to the development of constant dissatisfaction.

Sudden irritability in men may be a sign of a midlife crisis. The maximalism characteristic of young men passes, and a person begins to carefully weigh all his decisions. He doubts almost everything: his career, his spouse, his friends. Such soul-searching, coupled with a sense of missed opportunities, destroys nerve cells, make a man less tolerant and sociable. He thinks there is still time to completely change his life at once. It seems that no one understands this and such ill-wishers can be put in their place by force. This condition passes after a certain time. It is important to understand that periods of depression are normal phenomenon and not a reason to ruin your life.

Next peak age crisis- pension. Men endure this period much more difficultly than women. It seems that life has stopped, and those around you have ceased to respect you immediately after retirement.



Among women

Women's aggression is not always self-defense. One of important reasons psychologists consider weak character, lack of understanding of others and inability to adapt to life’s troubles. Constant problems and lack of help in solving them result in emotional breakdowns. Aggressive energy directed towards the right side, allows a woman not only to overcome difficulties, but also to avoid threats. Experts believe that short bouts of aggression can activate vital energy.

The modern rhythm of life, troubles in school or relationships with a guy become the cause of aggression in girls and women. They justify their behavior with money problems or lack of love and attention. As a result, they take it out on their partner and children. Physical violence is a rare occurrence among the fairer sex, but they can deliberately ruin things or break dishes.

Uncontrollable outbursts of aggression are often associated with postpartum depression. The birth of a baby and caring for him places a great burden on a woman’s shoulders. During this period, the body experiences hormonal changes, the mother becomes more sensitive and often cannot cope with her emotions. After childbirth, your whole life is turned upside down: your favorite job is a thing of the past, an incredible amount of household chores appears, and there is neither time nor energy for hobbies. All this drives a woman into despair, she becomes nervous and takes out all the negativity not only on her loved ones, but also on her child.

To alleviate the condition and prevent attacks of anger, it is necessary to divide responsibilities among all family members.

In children and adolescents

Unmotivated attacks of aggression in a child can occur as a result of improper upbringing. Excessive care or lack thereof is deposited in the child’s mind. It is difficult to correct this, since children perceive such an attitude very acutely. In boys, the peak of aggressiveness occurs at 13-14 years old, in girls - at 11-12. The child becomes angry after not receiving the desired result or for no reason at all. All teenagers are sure that no one understands them.

The result is constant irritability and isolation. In such cases, parents should not put pressure on the child, but letting everything take its course is also dangerous.

Psychologists highlight following reasons that cause childhood aggression:

• absence emotional connection with loved ones;
• aggressive behavior of one of the parents;
• disrespect for the child;
• hostile or indifferent attitude;
• lack of freedom;
• impossibility of self-realization.

Thus, parents themselves can provoke aggression in a child. It is important to remember that the lack of proper upbringing is main reason development pathological condition, which may lead to the need for treatment.

Treatment

It’s good if a person is afraid of his rage, fears irreparable consequences, soberly assesses the situation and seeks help from specialists. Finding the cause of aggressive behavior and treating it is the job of a psychiatrist.

The specialist checks for the presence or absence of influence on the psyche of factors such as past traumas, hormonal imbalances, and lack of routine. After this, if there are no problems that need to be treated with medications, the patient is referred to a psychologist.

The psychologist will recommend changing the pace of life: rest more, take a vacation. It is very important to stop aggression by switching to another activity: a hobby or sport, to give vent to negativity with the help of moderate physical activity. This state can be sublimated into other emotions, but only in the absence of danger to others.

In cases of severe pathology, the psychologist prescribes sedatives sedatives. Tranquilizers and antidepressants are recommended only in exceptional situations. Drug therapy at home is carried out under the supervision of a therapist. Most effective methods therapy for aggressive outbursts: water treatments, physiotherapy, massage.

Long-term anger control

Psychologists advise:

1. 1. Transfer a number of responsibilities to subordinates and other family members. With hard work and a lot of household chores, you need to reduce the list of daily tasks and leave time for proper rest.
2. 2. Avoid stressful situations. You need to try to determine for yourself the most common reason irritability. If you don’t like riding on an overloaded bus, taking a taxi or walking. If this is forced communication with an unpleasant colleague, find another job, even with a lower salary. This will help maintain your health, because the consequences of stress often become problems with the heart and other vital organs.
3. 3. Sleep at least 7–8 hours a day. Most people don't feel good after 5 hours of sleep. Coffee and energy drinks will not help here, since the body does not recover completely during this time. As a result, accumulated fatigue is expressed in attacks of anger and the development of various diseases.
4. 4. At the first sign of irritation, drink Herb tea : with mint, lemon balm or use sedatives on a natural basis.
5. 5. Learn to fight aggression peacefully: beat a pillow, do push-ups, break an unnecessary plate. The main thing is not to harm anyone.
6. 6. Contact with water. You can wash the dishes, take a bath.
7. 7. Learn some relaxation exercises from visualization, meditation or breathing exercises.
8. 8. Go to the football and emotionally cheer for your favorite team.
9. 9. Workout. Some people are suitable for active exercises (dancing, running), others - gymnastics or yoga. You need to be careful about wrestling: some types help get rid of negative emotions, others only perpetuate physical aggression.

You need to learn how to correctly and constructively conflict with others - this will allow you to resolve the situation and avoid a scandal.

How to quickly deal with anger

To master self-control, you need to study special phrases selected by psychologists. They should be carefully repeated several times to yourself at the first appearance of anger:

• if you don’t break down, you can emerge victorious from any situation;
• everyone achieves their own goal, so there is no right or wrong;
• I am not interested in the opinions of others, only I know the whole truth about myself;
• there is no need to discuss, scold or show your disdain for anyone;
• use only neutral expressions in your vocabulary, avoiding sarcasm and aggression in them;
• always speak calmly, using a minimum of emotions;
• my aggression is a signal that it’s time to calm down;
• Even with anger, it is impossible to achieve the goal, so you should be calm and take care of your health.

Psychologists advise not to keep accumulated negativity within yourself to reduce the risk of developing serious complications relating to both mental and physical health. Scientists have found that any negativity will sooner or later come out, which can be dangerous for others. Therefore, if a person is not able to independently control feelings of anger and aggression, it is worth contacting a psychologist.