Anger Assessment - Novaco Anger Scale

CONFIDENTIAL

Anger is a normal human emotion experienced by all humans from time to time. When used correctly it is a healthy response for when we need to defend ourselves, both physically from an attack and emotionally when we feel someone is violating our boundaries, independence, and integrity. Humans are programmed with an instinct for danger that makes us willing to respond to situations with "fight or flight". Commons situations that can cause anger include:

• Feelings of humiliation or embarrassment
• Feelings of injustice
• Feelings of disappointment
• Feelings of failure
• Feelings of envy
• Struggles with being teases or bullied
• Struggles with rude people
• Struggles with a physical condition, like PMS
• Struggles with a mental disorder
• Struggles with a substance or behavioral addiction
• Struggles with financial problems
• Struggles in stressful or annoying situations such as traffic jams and bad service

 

Humans are programmed with an instinct for danger that makes us willing to "fight or flight". Threats bring up feelings and behaviors sometimes powerfully and aggressively, which make it possible for us to be able to fight to defend ourselves when we are attacked. Some anger is essential to our survival. When you are angry, your body releases stress hormones, like adrenaline, that make your pulse and heart rate go up, your body temperature to increase and your breathing to quicken. Your body is prepared to fight. Common emotional, physical, and behavioral signs and symptoms of anger:

• Feelings of irritation
• Feeling dizzy
• Behaving anxiously, like fidgeting with your hands
• Feeling the need to use substances to calm you down
• Feelings of resentment
• Body trembling
• Feeling the need or desire to act out verbally, with your voice getting louder
• Body getting hot flashes
• Behaving rudely, sarcastically, abusively
• Feeling the desire to escape from the situation
• Grinding your teeth
• Sweating more than usual
• Saying and doing things you do not mean
• Clenching your jaw
• Feeling the need to act out physically, such as throwing things or hurting yourself or others
• Having stomach problems
• Getting a faster heart rate and more rapid breathing

 

When anger become excessive and uncontrollable, it can become destructive and lead to problems in relationships, at work, and in your life. When dealing with anger problems, you commonly regret your actions afterwards, since it hurts the ones you love. However, at the time the impulse is too strong to resist. When anger is out of control, the consequences can be very serious and there are not limits to what it will lead to for you and others. Unresolved or uncontrolled anger can lead to: 

• Hurting yourself or others
• Compromised immune system
• Depression and low self-esteem
• Stroke and heart attacks
• Eating disorders
• Stomach disorders
• Substance or behavioral abuse
• Insomnia
• High blood pressure
• headaches

If you suffer from any symptom described above, this Anger Assessment is recommended. Evaluate the statements below and select the answer that best reflects how you would feel.

This Anger Assessment is not to be seen as a final diagnosis. Having difficulties controlling your anger can have a severe negative impact on your life. However, there are many ways to manage dysfunctional anger, and we recommend you get professional support to help you deal with your difficulties. 

Submit your form below and your therapist will contact you to discuss your results with you. If you are not currently a client at The Peacemaker Center, please complete our Appointment Request form on our website at www.thepeacemakercenter.org.

RESULT GUIDELINES: 

1-45 - The amount of anger and frustration you generally experience is remarkable low. Only small percentages of the population will score this low. You might want to examine whether you were being honest with your answers and the possibility that you deny angry feelings.

46-55 - You are substantially more peaceful than the average person.

56-75 - You respond to life's annoyances with an average amount of anger.

76-85 - You frequently react in an angry way to life's many frustrations. You are substandtially more irritable than the average person.

86-100 - You are plagued by frequent intense furious reactions that do not quickly disappear. You probably harbor negative feelings long after the initial insult has passed. You may experience frequent tension headaches, and elevated blood pressure. Your anger may often get out of control and lead to impulsive hostile outbursts, which at times gets you into trouble.