Aggression - what it is, reasons, 7 scientific theories, methods of struggle

What is aggression

The term aggression has Latin roots and comes from the word aggressio, which means “attack” . This is a certain form of emotionally charged destructive behavior that contradicts the norms of social existence and aims to cause moral or physical harm to another living being.

A person’s aggressiveness in most cases is characterized by the presence of motivation, although there is also unmotivated aggression, associated mainly with physical or mental problems of the body.

There are three types of aggression:

• Assault or harm to another person or animal;
• Protection;
• Aggressive behavior against a living creature that is perceived as food.

What is aggressiveness? This is the name for unprovoked hostility towards the world and individuals, a potential willingness to show aggression to achieve a certain result . It is a stable personality trait.

What happens in the body during moments of aggression?

The definition of aggression always implies the presence of a stress factor and an emotional reaction that was initially focused on the need for safety. Controlling aggressive reactions occurs hierarchically, launching certain processes along the chain.

CNS

The central nervous system and the brain, as its apex, primarily react to a stressful situation.

1. Reactions to stress - fear and aggression, they have their centers in the brain. The most important ones include the amygdala and posterior hypothalamus .
2. The amygdala collects all stress signals and conducts them to the frontal cortex of the cerebral hemispheres and the hypothalamus .
3. Endocrine, autonomic reactions develop through , leading to the appearance of certain emotions.

Areas of the brain such as the association frontal cortex and the cingulate cortex produce behavioral and motor responses.

Hormones

Hormones are produced under the influence of processes occurring in the hypothalamus. Signals from it contribute to the release of adrenaline into the blood from the adrenal medulla, and norepinephrine through the sympathetic nerves. The adrenal cortex produces corticosteroids, some of which (glucocorticosteroids) enhance adrenocorticotropic hormone.

All this leads to a jump in the blood levels of adrenaline and norepinephrine (in biochemistry, epinephrine and norepinephrine, respectively), which are responsible for fear and rage, thus increasing the level of aggressiveness . Moreover, if the “fight or flight” reaction appears when adrenaline is released, then norepinephrine provokes a reaction that can be characterized by the words “attack or defend.”

Body as a whole

A sharp jump in hormone levels affects the entire body. As the level of stress and aggressiveness increases in the body, the following happens:

• The processes of inhibition of the nervous system change;
• The flow of oxygen to tissues increases;
• The concentration of glucose in the blood increases, metabolism accelerates;
• Inflammatory processes and allergic reactions are temporarily blocked;
• Muscle activity increases;
• Spasms and swelling of the mucous membranes are eliminated;
• The release of insulin in the blood decreases;
• The level of white blood cells increases. As a result, blood clots faster in air and bleeding stops faster.

At the physical level, the manifestation of aggression in a stressful situation is accompanied by the following most common symptoms:

• Vasoconstriction;
• Increased sweating;
• Increased heart rate;
• Rapid breathing;
• Increased pressure;
• Accelerated intestinal motility;
• Decreased vision clarity;
• Tremor.

In the long term, frequent bouts of aggression can lead to an increased risk of potential diseases. An aggressive person can easily earn himself:

• Hypertension (as a consequence - heart attack, stroke);
• Arrhythmia;
• Kidney failure;
• Problems with the thyroid gland;
• Thrombosis due to increased blood clotting.

Interesting fact

Negative emotions provoke aggression for a reason - their centers in the brain are located nearby, in the posterior hypothalamus. And in the center of pleasure there is a zone responsible for causeless outbursts of anger. It is there that the structure of neurons is contained, which is responsible for the degree of a person’s tendency to act aggressively.

Types of aggression

In psychology, the systematization of the concept of aggression includes a large number of components. Types of aggression based on emotional coloring, goals and methods are divided into benign and malignant .

Or they separate defensive aggression, inherent in all living beings, and destructive aggression - meaningless and without goals, existing only in humans . But with the exception of some features of the presentation, there is a general species classification. Let us examine in more detail some of the types of aggression.

Passive

Passive aggression, or, as this type is also called, passive-aggressive behavior, is expressed in the fact that in any stressful situation, initially aggressive people, however, do not openly show their anger, but suppress the emerging aggression .

However, the emotions that triggered chemical and hormonal reactions in the body do not go away, and suppressed aggressiveness is manifested by refusal to act or speak, possibly sabotage and sabotage (often unconscious). Thus, aggression is expressed through a passive “no” .

Active

A type of aggressive behavior when the whole essence of the conflict is manifested through active actions: shouting, scandals, fights . In this case, the one who is the instigator of the situation is the first to attack and show aggression towards the other.

Straight

In psychology, aggression is called direct when its goals are obvious, transparent and clear, and it itself is directed at an object and has certain intentions. At the same time, aggressive behavior towards the object is clearly expressed and is not hidden.

In international law, direct aggression is understood as an open armed attack by the army of one state on another. That is, the main characteristic is also transparency of intentions.

Indirect

It is expressed in implicit harm, when violence against a person occurs indirectly, in a roundabout way. Vivid examples are damage to property or vandalism, causing damage to loved ones of the immediate victim, and slanderous statements.

A special type of indirect aggression stands out as environmental: in the process of realizing the selfish goals of individual people, irreparable harm is caused to nature, which will subsequently affect descendants.

Also, indirect aggression refers to undirected, disordered, chaotic actions, which are more often perceived as ordinary emotions. A typical way of its manifestation is when people, in a fit of rage, smash dishes or, for example, bang their fist on the table .

Verbal (speech)

What are verbal forms of aggression? This is symbolically expressed psychological harm that is inflicted vocally (the tone, timbre, and strength of the voice changes) or verbally (the opponent is insulted using derogatory or profanity) . This type is divided into open and hidden aggression.

The overt one aims to cause obvious harm (for example, through direct insults), while the hidden one does not show direct hostility, but systematically puts pressure on the victim through intermediaries (for example, spreading rumors and talking behind the back without direct slander).

Nonverbal aggression is specific signals emanating from the aggressor, but not put into words . These include body language, obscene or threatening gestures that express aggressive intentions.

Physical

Physical aggression involves the use of physical force by the aggressor against the victim with the aim of causing harm or damage to the body.

Auto aggression

In this type, the object is the aggressor himself, that is, his hostility is consciously or unconsciously directed at himself. Such aggressiveness in psychology is referred to as a psychological defense mechanism.

Characterized by self-hatred, self-blame and self-deprecation . A tendency to extreme sports, dangerous professions, self-harm and suicide are also manifestations of auto-aggression.

Heteroaggression

Heteroaggression is contrasted with autoaggression, since it is directed at other people and external objects . Also, the object of aggression may be a situation that a person perceives as potentially dangerous, although in reality (if objectively assessed) it is not.

There is also a mixed type related to hetero- and auto-aggression. With it, a person initially inclined towards heteroaggression, after its implementation, under the influence of a feeling of guilt, experiences auto-aggressive manifestations.

Reactive

Reactive aggression is always a consequence of the body’s response to an external threatening or stressful situation. It manifests itself quickly, is a momentary reaction and most often does not serve any purpose other than protection . Varieties of reactive aggression are also called spontaneous, expressive and affective aggression, although in some classifications these types stand separately, apart.

Spontaneous

The qualitative difference between spontaneous aggression is that its development does not require any compelling reasons - it arises, as they say, “out of the blue,” spontaneously . Such aggression manifests itself in waves under the influence of internal problems, and is characteristic primarily of impulsive people who have a history of identified or hidden mental problems.

Expressive

Emotional aggression, which is accompanied by threatening behavior without aggressive actions or words. mainly characterized not by causing direct harm, but by the desire to convey to the victim one’s manifestation of a potentially aggressive mood . A striking example of this type are ritual war dances in some African tribes, or military parades demonstrating the power of the country.

More than 9,000 people have gotten rid of their psychological problems using this technique.

Affective

From a scientific point of view, it is considered an emotional phenomenon that is almost completely devoid of any effectiveness. This is practically uncontrollable aggression, bringing chaos and destruction, since in such a state a person, not realizing his actions, demands immediate sacrifices at any cost .

Often this phenomenon occurs in a crowd, at a time of heightened passions, when the increased aggressiveness of a mass of people under the influence of general excitement provokes a sudden loss of control over themselves.

Motivational

This type is also called targeted, since its character is manifested in a completely conscious, pre-planned infliction of harm, pain or damage to the victim of aggression . In this case, the motive can be either true, when the desire for destruction or destruction is conscious, or false, when the aggressor motivates and justifies his actions.

Instrumental

In this case, aggression is a tool for a person to realize his interests, a means and a way to achieve any goals without a pronounced emotional state.

Instrumental aggression most often has a neutral orientation; sometimes it is explained as initially aggressive behavior aimed at positive results.

Virtual

Virtual aggression now stands apart in the modern world - a type of aggression that affects people through the Internet, computer games and television.

In 2010, a study was conducted at the University of Iowa, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, in which 130 thousand people participated. Violent games have been found to increase aggressive behavior and decrease empathy .

Research on this topic is ongoing. In October 2021, a meta-analysis of the relationship between violent video games and physical aggression was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. More than 17 thousand people of various nationalities and ethnic groups participated in the research.

Consequences of the manifestation and suppression of aggression and anger

The more we feed our anger, the more power we give it...

Now, let's look at why there are periods in our lives when we have no strength for anything, it seems that our vital energy is going somewhere. The fact is that anger is the most pronounced emotion in which our energy is manifested. The state of energy is expressed: in internal experiences, in their manifestations outside. as well as in energy costs (energy losses). A person with little energy shows anger sluggishly—it’s more like irritation. A strong person, as a rule, also has strong anger. A huge amount of psychic energy manifests itself, among other things, in attacks of rabies. Moreover, the stronger the outbursts of anger, the greater the energy loss. Frequent anger is comparable to burning money. Anger is like a volcanic eruption. The man had energy - and he threw it away. Threw away, as a rule, in excess.

Typically, after an outburst of anger, a person:

• feeling of loss of energy;
• feeling guilty for causing harm to another person;
• wounded pride, lowered self-esteem, as he has caused damage to himself;
• development of depression.

That is, there is an “ebb of the wave.” And these outbreaks, from the point of view of modern psychological science, lead to a large number of diseases of psychogenic origin, since negative emotions have a subtle connection with the body.

Frequent anger leads to a chronic state of depression, and the rehabilitation period of apathy and anemia is prolonged. When a person rejoices, it lifts him up and increases his reserve of strength, because joy is a life-affirming emotion that fills him with energy. Anger is a devastating emotion. Although for some moment a person subconsciously enjoys revenge and rage, the release is greater than the influx of imaginary positive feelings. Therefore, devastation follows after this, the person falls into prostration and no longer receives satisfaction from this. His conscience begins to torment him that something is going wrong; Over time, depression develops, and an angry person is constantly subject to either depression or irritation.

Chronic manifestations of anger destroy our body year after year.

Here are some of the most common psychosomatic illnesses caused by anger:

• increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• gallbladder dysfunction;
• chronic stomach disorders;
• dental problems;
• migraine;
• heartburn.

return to the beginning of the article

Factors of occurrence

Aggression begins with irritation that comes with an attack on the safety of physical or psychological personal space. However, it always has reasons and soil that contribute to aggressive reactions, or, in other words, factors of its occurrence, which also partially determine its features and character. Let's consider the classification of aggression factors.

Situational

These factors include environmental influences. They may be:

• Temperature and climatic effects;
• Unpleasant and painful sensations associated with noise, odors, crowding, crowding, violation of personal boundaries;
• Cultural influence, the influence of mass media in terms of demonstrating models of aggressive behavior;
• Exposure to alcohol, drugs and sex;
• Excitement in the absence of discharge as its result.

Personal

Such factors are also called personal , since they include the internal qualities of a person, his emotions and characteristics of the unconscious sphere. The following personal factors are distinguished:

• Increased anxiety, hostility, irritability, tendency to depression;
• Inadequate assessment of yourself and your abilities;
• Lack of will as a manifestation of stability in emotions and inclinations, their antisocial orientation;
• The level of social development is below average;
• Difficulties in communication, envy, desire for superiority, selfishness, tendency to blame others for your problems, various types of addictions;
• Various mental and behavioral disorders.

Socio-psychological

Psychological factors of aggressive behavior include factors that are formed in social groups. These are factors such as:

• The level of development of the country of residence, the prevailing relations in it;
• Propaganda of violence and negativity in the media and society;
• Low social status, dependence on social assistance;
• Deviating behavior of figures of influence;
• The system of upbringing in the family (microsocial factors), the consistent influence of the environment: school, work colleagues, circle of friends, etc.

Behavioral

Such factors are understood as behavior and actions that create difficulties and hindrances for other people. These include:

• Aimlessness of spending time;
• Lack of development and aspirations for it;
• Vandalism;
• Early onset of sexual life;
• Early development of antisocial activity, resulting in a criminal record.

“Aggression and the causes of aggressive behavior. Methods of struggle"

“Aggression and the causes of aggressive behavior. Methods of struggle"

Aggression (from the Latin “agressio” - attack, attack) is motivated destructive behavior that contradicts the norms and rules of coexistence of people in society, causing harm to the objects of attack (animate and inanimate), causing physical damage to people (negative experiences, states of tension, fear, depression, etc.)

Aggressiveness [lat. aggressio - to attack] is a relatively stable personality trait, manifested in the subject’s readiness for aggressive behavior, i.e. to a sequence of actions aimed at causing physical or psychological harm, up to and including the destruction of an object, another person or group of people.

Differences between aggression and aggressiveness It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of “aggression” and “aggressiveness”. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that “aggression is intentional actions aimed at causing harm to someone or something.” Aggressiveness is a personality trait “expressed in readiness for aggression.”

Thus, if aggression is an action, then aggressiveness is the readiness to commit such actions.

Types of aggression

1. Physical and verbal Physical aggression is the use of physical force against another person or object; Verbal - expression of negative feelings both through form (quarrel, screaming, screeching) and through the content of verbal reactions (threat, curses, swearing);

2. Direct or indirect Direct aggression - directly aimed at a person; Indirect aggression - actions that are directed in a roundabout way at another person (malicious gossip, jokes, etc.) actions characterized by disorder (explosions of rage, manifested in screaming, stomping feet)

The following types of aggression are distinguished by direction:

- heteroaggression, which is directed at others; these are murders, beatings, rapes, profanity, threats, insults;

- auto-aggression, which is directed at oneself, is self-destruction (suicide), psychosomatic diseases, self-destructive behavior;

Factors of aggressive behavior are considered as follows:

.

1. socio-psychological factors

, i.e. formed at the level of social groups and influencing the aggressiveness of the individual;

2. microsocial factors

, which are determined by the characteristics of the parental family (its composition, quality of upbringing, favorable or unfavorable conditions of upbringing), the individual himself (social and property status, level of education, labor status), features of interpersonal interaction (formal, informal status of the individual, measure of individual adaptation, communicative preferences, etc.). Among the listed, progressive factors are usually recognized as: parental use of alcohol, drugs, negative upbringing of the child, insufficient level of socialization, the influence of an antisocial environment, peculiarities of upbringing and socialization in boys compared to girls, etc.

3. macrosocial factors

, providing a connection between aggression and the most general trends in the development of the population as a whole (social, economic, demographic processes). Lando suggests that aggression in society is closely related to the effectiveness of social institutions and the social system as a whole. In addition, it is assumed that at the macrosocial level, various group attributions play an important role in the development of aggressiveness. For example, it has been established that prejudiced people tend to attribute bad intentions to members of a group they themselves dislike. This process is called “biased attribution of hostility” and, as some researchers point out, it plays an important role in the formation of racial and ethnic hatred. In addition to those mentioned, macrosocial factors include the economic and political situation in the country, the state of war or peace, characteristics of demographic processes, environmental conditions, etc.

4. Personal and psychological factors

, i.e.
personality traits that are formed in the process of socialization at the level of an individual and are in one way or another connected with his aggressiveness. These may include cognitive, emotional, volitional, personality traits, and features of its unconscious sphere.
To cognitive factors

primarily attributed to a certain way of thinking that mediates aggressive behavior. This is the so-called aggressive beliefs, i.e. conscious ideas about the normativity of severe destructive behavior. They are closely related to the formation of strategies and tactics of behavior, interpretation of various influencing stimuli and situations, as well as oneself in the context of social communication. These factors operate, for example, in cases where certain situations are interpreted as threatening and requiring the proactive use of aggression, or when a conscious choice of unconstructive ways of responding to a situation of frustration is made. Sometimes inappropriately inflated self-esteem is also included in the list of cognitive factors of aggressive behavior

Among the emotional factors

consider the tendency to emotions of anger and anger that motivate aggressive actions; increased affective excitability in situations of frustration, anxiety, affective disorders (mania, depression, dysphoria) and emotional instability.

Volitional factors

are supposed to provide a certain level of control over emotional reactions and behavior in general, and the ability to withstand stressful situations.

Factors of the unconscious

, according to some researchers, determine the stereotypes of aggressiveness and aggressive attitudes of an individual. Aggressive attitudes represent an unconscious state of an individual’s readiness for aggression in a certain situation, and aggressive stereotypes are persistent hostile behavior, repeated unchanged, devoid of thought and reflexivity.

Probably personal and psychological factors

can be either normotypical, i.e. inherent in a generally healthy person without any obvious mental abnormalities, and clinical, pathological. The latter usually include mental, psychopathic, psychopathic and behavioral disorders, alcoholism and drug addiction.

5. Biological and psychological factors

, i.e.
formed in the process of ontogenesis (individual development of the human body) and determining the behavior of the individual at the biological level. These include genetic, hormonal, neurotransmitter, neuroanatomical and gender factors.
Methods of dealing with aggression

Breathing exercises

The process of tracking your own breathing on a certain count and other breathing techniques will help normalize your well-being and moderate aggressiveness.

How to control aggression using breathing techniques.

• Inhale while expanding your belly. Hold the air for a count of five. Exhale slowly. Repeat the exercise for ten minutes.
• Take a deep breath. Then hold your breath, imagine a circle and slowly “exhale” it. Do this four times. Then, instead of a circle, imagine a square, and “exhale” it twice.
• score 7-11
• Exercise “counting to 10”

The simplest way to control anger and aggression is to slowly and steadily count to ten to yourself. Take a short break with a break of a couple of seconds, and count backwards, from ten to one.

Developing a sense of humor

Managing aggression through humor and laughter. Many people are familiar with the situation when a person is angry at someone or something. But as soon as you make him laugh, the irritation subsides, although it does not disappear completely. This suggests that laughter and humor are incompatible with overt aggression.

It is important to know that it is possible to get rid of aggression and irritability with the help of gentle humor, but there is a danger of going too far. Inappropriate or harsh humor, close to sarcasm and ridicule, can work against the person who decides to use this method. Some scientists even consider humor to be a side effect of aggression. So you should be careful, tactful and not joke about provocative topics - this can only aggravate the situation.

Sport

There are a large number of sports, but are there any among them that can help prevent aggression?

It is unlikely that you should go to a football match if you want to relax and get rid of aggression. But running a couple of kilometers, playing tennis, or training with a punching bag in the gym is quite possible. This will allow you to “let off steam” and relieve excess tension and aggressiveness. A tired body is unable to maintain aggression at the proper level for its implementation in reality.

If you notice a constant increase in aggressiveness, do sports regularly. Just don't compete with anyone! Sports aggression superimposed on unsportsmanlike anger can lead to big problems. Train alone or with a good trainer who will catch you when you start to get carried away.

Hiking

Nature and fresh air have a calming effect on the psyche. In addition, in nature there are most often no crowds of people that contribute to increased aggressiveness.

Make outings into nature regular and habitual. While walking, you should not think about what caused your anger and irritation. Focus on your surroundings, listen to the sounds of nature, and don't let negative thoughts take over your mind.

Adequate rest and sleep

Rest and sleep not only improve the general condition of the body, they give strength to restrain negative emotions, preventing them from causing aggressive reactions.

A tense person is easier to offend than a relaxed one, so rest and get enough sleep. It is important to go to bed before midnight, since sleep from 10 to 12 pm is the deepest and most beneficial for the body. You need to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day

The benefits of rest and sleep are difficult to overestimate. When treating many diseases, one of the first recommendations will be exactly this - rest and get enough sleep. This advice will also be relevant during the menopausal period.

Meditation

How to deal with attacks of aggression? Various meditation techniques can help to release anger. Now it is possible to find the necessary type of meditation via the Internet, or find a teacher who will show you all the techniques and explain their purpose.

Hobby

How to resist aggression? Every person needs some kind of outlet that makes life, if not more interesting, then at least calmer. Find such an outlet for yourself - do something in your free time. This could be something familiar that you enjoy, or something completely new. Hobbies should not be overly active; it is better to choose something relaxing and calm. It is also important that you can do this activity in a calm and comfortable environment.

Trainings to relieve aggression

Control of emotions

How to cope with negative emotions? Sometimes you have to pay dearly for a moment of weakness. It is important to control yourself in moments of anger and tension.

How this can be done:

A suitable method from those already listed is to take a deep breath and count to ten;

Move around if possible - physical activity neutralizes increased adrenaline;

Visualize a favorable outcome of the situation;

If the aggression is directed at you (for example, the boss is shouting) and you do not want to respond with aggression in return, imagine that you are putting a glass glass on top of yourself, from which the screams bounce off;

If you feel like you can’t hold back, mentally imagine taking water into your mouth.

Don't let passions get too intense

You should not push yourself and those around you to the emotional limit, which is followed only by aggressiveness. Stop the argument promptly. Take a break. Honestly tell your opponent that he is annoying you and offer to talk later.

Play out the conflict situation at home, in front of the mirror. Tell the mirror, as your opponent, everything you think about him and his behavior. After the anger passes, try to step into his shoes and truly understand his motivations.

Remember - there are no perfect people

Have you lost your patience, lost your temper, or been unable to control your emotions? It happens! You should not engage in self-flagellation or replay the conflict in your thoughts over and over again. Let go of the situation. If you are guilty, ask for forgiveness. Draw conclusions from what happened and try to prevent it from happening again.

And remember that all of the techniques listed will save you from momentary aggression, but will not help with serious problems. If the positive effect of independently used techniques is short-lived, then it is better to seek help from a qualified specialist.

Causes

The causes of aggression are multifaceted and varied, there are a huge number of them. The strength of aggressiveness, its direction and duration are different for each person, since the totality of the influence of various factors on him and his perception are individual.

However, regardless of the characteristics of each individual, conflict is always the cause . But the perception of it as a reason to be aggressive is already influenced by various problems. Let's look at the most common of them.

Personal problems

Primarily related to a person’s internal self-perception and how he builds relationships between himself and the world. Personal reasons for aggressive behavior include:

• Dissatisfaction with life, status, personal and sexual relationships;
• Fears and phobias;
• A clearly felt lack of energy, knowledge, willpower;
• Reluctance to develop, recurring development crises.

Developed neurosis against the background of dysfunctional relationships

The concept of neurotic relationships is relatively new in psychology. However, it most accurately reflects the essence of the manifestation of neurosis against a background of trouble. Aggressiveness is a logical consequence of this, since against the backdrop of constantly fueled negative emotions, the situation itself gives rise to aggression:

• The person is in a state of control;
• Relationships are accompanied by a constantly depressed state and a feeling of guilt;
• One of the couple is often painfully dependent on the other, trying to earn approval and respect;
• The relationship is not accompanied by mutual support; in the background there is always the expectation of a breakup.

Authoritarian and strict parenting

A family environment in which they do not talk, but give orders, contributes to the transformation of children into potential aggressors . Strict boundaries and punishments in childhood contribute to the fact that the child:

1. Or he withdraws into himself, accumulating internal aggression that has no outlet (the risk of developing mental disorders increases)
2. Or turns aggressive behavior on himself (autoaggression)
3. Or, after getting rid of parental dictates, he “goes into all kinds of bad things,” which manifests itself in uncontrollable attacks of aggression.

Also contribute to the development of aggressiveness:

• Lack of emotional contact
• Aggression in the family, parental violence towards each other
• Lack of respect for the child
• Not enough freedom
• Prohibition of physical activity

Substance abuse (alcohol, drugs, etc.)

When intoxicated or under the influence of substances that cloud the mind, nerve cells die, and a person ceases to adequately assess the situation, returning to primitive instincts, which leads to bursts of unmotivated aggression . When smoking, nicotine entering the bloodstream stimulates an increase in adrenaline and norepinephrine, which also increases the level of aggression.

Inadequate rest, overwork

When the body works, as they say, “for wear,” its forces are aimed primarily at maintaining relatively normal functioning and the level of reflexes. At the same time, mental protection and the ability to maintain the necessary boundaries decrease.

If a person has hidden aggressiveness, it becomes difficult for him to cope with irritability and previously suppressed aggression breaks out.

Interesting fact

Until the age of six, the level of aggression of boys and girls is the same. At the same time, everyone has an innate aggressive potential; in childhood it is higher, in the process of growing up it decreases, unless the additional influence of any factors contributes to the opposite.

Mental disorders

Aggressive people often try to justify their behavior by existing disorders, but in reality aggression manifests itself as a deviation in the mental state of only twelve percent of aggressors. But for these twelve percent, aggression is really a symptom of a disease or pathological process, most often occurring in the brain. These include:

• Neurasthenia;
• Psychopathy, sociopathy;
• Schizophrenia, personality disorders;
• Stress disorders;
• Encephalitis;
• Meningitis.

Treatment of aggression in children

Treatment of aggression in adolescents should not always be carried out with medication. After all, a certain amount of aggressiveness is simply necessary for every person, especially during the period of personality formation. In childhood and adolescence, an individual fights for his status in the family, school, in the yard or garden. Thanks to controlled aggression, the child learns new things, adapts socially and achieves his goals.

The main reason for aggressive actions on the part of a child under 4 years old is the negative example of parents who allow themselves such behavior at the everyday level. In addition, indifference on the part of parents, a domineering attitude towards the child or hostility towards the child are risk factors. In this case, most likely, treatment for aggression and irritability is necessary for adults.

The aggravation of aggression in adolescence occurs against the background of puberty, when hormones rage in the body, and their unstable levels negatively affect physical well-being and emotional state. During this period, a person is characterized by suggestibility, irritability, emotional rudeness and stinginess, low self-esteem, complexes, primitive values, narrow-mindedness, etc.

However, as a rule, in such cases, drug treatment for outbursts of aggression is not required - it is enough to provide qualified psychological assistance and teach parents how to react correctly to difficult situations.

Features of aggression in men

General ideas about outbursts of aggression in men include the postulate that uncontrollable anger and irritation are most characteristic of men. Aggression in men really has a certain specificity, which is based both on hormonal bases and on the characteristics of behavioral instincts .

Attacks of aggression in men, the reasons for this phenomenon:

• The presence of a large amount of testosterone in the body . This hormone is responsible for guys not only for sexual activity, but also for attacks of rage;
• Male psychology has historically been structured in such a way that representatives of the stronger sex live with a sense of constant combat readiness in order to fulfill their function as a protector, and to some extent, a conqueror. This causes constant nervous tension and, as a result, aggressiveness ;
• Why does a person become aggressive, because he is a social creature? In this sociality lies the secret: a rigid hierarchy requires constant proof of its superiority . Men react to this with sudden and seemingly causeless attacks of aggression.

Features of aggression in women

It is generally accepted that female aggression is self-defense. However, severe irritability in women is not always associated with the need to protect themselves. Aggressiveness in women is rarely combined with physical violence; most often it is realized verbally, in the form of shouting, swearing, and arguing . Attacks of aggression in women and girls can be triggered by the following reasons:

• Weak character and will, insensitivity and lack of ability to adapt
• Too fast pace of life, a large number of responsibilities, troubles in personal life
• Difficulties associated with pregnant women due to their potentially vulnerable condition, difficult childbirth, postpartum depression
• Hormonal changes that accompany the onset of old age contribute to an increase in psycho-emotional stress, which in older women can easily transform into aggressiveness

Anger and aggression: what's the difference?

People often confuse these two concepts, but there is a big difference between them. Anger is an emotional state that we experience internally in the form of thoughts, feelings, and sensations. And aggression is actions , that is, actions and words that can harm someone.

Let me give you a simple example: boxers. They can behave extremely aggressively: they hit their opponent directly on the head with all their might. But at the same time they do not feel any anger.

On the other hand, you can be angry and not behave aggressively, but sit on your couch and watch a TV series (well, supposedly