Just in Time for the Holidays: Wrap Rage

No, not the latest anger in hip-hop music, wrap rage is a very real phenomenon:

wrap rage n. Extreme anger caused by product packaging that is difficult to open or manipulate. Also: wrapping rage.
I must confess to feeling frustration that leads to brief moments of anger when trying to open a DVD or CD. This anger follows a judgment that even I could develop a more consumer friendly method of wrapping media. Underlying this is an unspoken notion that the media companies just don't care about the frustration (and danger, if the knife or scissors slips) I suffer.

Something as commonplace and silly as this is a great template for greater angers and furies. It starts with a judgment/belief that I am threatened. In fact, I do face a minor threat when opening some packing material. At times, I've bled to get into the product I purchased.

And the solution is as simple as ABCD.

A I need to be aware of my beliefs and judgments, since these lie at the root of my anger. My anger does not serve to punish those whose packaging bothers me, but it does serve to make me unhappy and to have unhealthy effects on my body.
B I need to notice my feelings. Ignoring them doesn't make things better, it just builds resentments. Acting them out ... see below:
C I need to be aware of my actions. If I act out my frustration and anger, I may break what I've just bought. I am also more likely to injure myself.
D The solution lies in this step, reframing my beliefs and judgments. In the case of Wrap Rage, my simplest response is to ask myself if this is worth getting worked up about. Really, it's not. If I'm really in need of an ego-boost, I consider that without any training in the field, I'm already a better ergonomics engineer than the folks who designed the process in the first place!
And so, feeling superior and grateful for not following my beliefs into Wrap Rage, I proceed to open my new product carefully. My daughter loves opening things — sometimes I give them to her to open. No frustration for me and great enjoyment for her. While Wrap Rage may seem trivial, the steps for effectively neutralizing it are no different than those for dealing with serious anger about serious things.


posted by John Elder [[Link:Anderson & Anderson:http://www.andersonservices.com]]

Anger management for terror suspects
Simon Kearney
December 12, 2005
TERRORIST suspects under house arrest will be sent to anger management school, given psychological counselling and offered training and education in a bid to turn them from violence.

The federal Government is developing a program to rehabilitate potential terrorists who authorities have deemed a threat to public safety and placed under control orders.

The measures were approved last week by parliament as part of the new anti-terrorism laws and will apply to those detained without charge on suspicion that their movements should be restricted to prevent an attack.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock believes the measures will address alienation and help impressionable would-be terrorists learn the error of their ways.

"Control orders were not just meant to be imposed as a punishment," Mr Ruddock's spokeswoman said yesterday.

"This program will help them change the behaviour that's resulted in them being the subject of a control order."

She said the program was particularly aimed at alienated and impressionable young people.

"It will be educative and address things like literacy, anger management and provide counselling to give them life skills that will help them overcome these tendencies," she said.

Control orders can vary from an apprehended violence order restricting movement and orders not to make contact with certain people, to requiring people to wear electronic tracking devices.

The education and counselling could include vocational training or academic study.

Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Ameer Ali said he was to discuss the new program with Mr Ruddock today.

Islamic youth leader Fadi Rahman said anything that would help misguided young Muslims was welcome.

"If a young person was caught up with the wrong crowd of people, we would like the Government to lend a helping hand and lead them in the right way," he said.

Geoff McDonald, the senior Attorney-General's Department bureaucrat who drafted the laws, said no one would be forced into education or counselling.

"Counselling or education is designed as something that will be of assistance to the person -- not something that will be imposed against that person's wishes," he said in answer to questions from Opposition senators examining the laws.

"The bill provided for a person to participate in specified counselling or education, and does not limit the type of counselling or education."

Opposition justice spokesman Joe Ludwig said there had not been enough time in the committee stage to explore further.

"We've obviously got further questions about how this scheme will operate," he said.

"This is just another example of how ramming a bill through the Senate doesn't give enough time for adequate scrutiny of each of the provisions."

Senator Ludwig said there were 74 government amendments to the legislation and more than 100 amendments had not been debated because the Senate ran out of time when the Government forced a vote.

[[Link:Anderson & Anderson:http://www.andersonservices.com]]

Anderson & Anderson will soon announce it's first video conference training. This live training will be offered in a number of sites simultaneously. Participants will receive the same information as is used in our on location training and will have an opportunity to ask questions and receive responses.
If you would like to organize a training in your city, please contact the offices of Anderson & Anderson at www.andersonservices.com or 310-207-3591.

[[Link:Anderson & Anderson:http://www.andersonservices.com]]

Anderson & Anderson has long been the flagship of anger management providers worldwide. There has been a recent, dramatic increase in referrals of physicians,CEO's,attorneys and other high level executives to our anger management/executive coaching program. Many of these clients are flying in from other states for an intensive four day program.
The program includes a confidential assessment which determines the clients level of functioning managing anger, stress, communication, empathy and emotional intelligence. Following the assessment,the client is provided individual coaching including exercises and behavior logs. The last day includes a post test and strategies for responding to future stressors.
In an effort to increase the over all positive nature of this experience, we have arranged for our clients stay at the upscale Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica, CA. The hotel will provide free limousine service for appointments at the Corporate Offices of Anderson & Anderson located in nearby Brentwood.
We strongly believe in the importance of treating our clients with the utmost dignity and respect.
[[Link:Anderson & Anderson:http://www.andersonservices.com]]

Anderson & Anderson has long been the flagship of anger management providers worldwide. There has been a recent, dramatic increase in referrals of physicians,CEO's,attorneys and other high level executives to our anger management/executive coaching program. Many of these clients are flying in from other states for an intensive four day program.
The program includes a confidential assessment which determines the clients level of functioning manageing anger, stress, communication, empathy and emotional intelligence. Following the assessment,the client is provided individual coaching including exercizes and behavior logs. The last day includes a post test and strategies for responing to future stressors.
In an effort to increase the over all positive nature of this experience, we have arranged for our clients stay at the Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica, CA. The hotel will provide free limosine service for appointments at the Corporate Offices of Anderson & Anderson located in nearby Brentwood.
We strongly believe in the importance of treating our clients with the utmost dignity and respect.