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So, as I am doing AP Psychology this year, I have gotten myself into the habit of thinking about why I react to certain things the way I do. Like today for instance, I banged the top of my head really hard on the underside of a cabinet door. Aside from screaming an obscenity, and the obvious fact that my eyes were watering from the pain, I also got really pissed off at the same time, and had to resist the urge to dismantle said door with my teeth. And I always get the same reaction when something hits me on the head with a lot of force: I feel the pain, and then about 0.5 of a second later, I get swamped by pure rage.

Of course, there is a chance I just have anger issues, so I went around and did a quick survey of my friends and family, who are all laid-back. I asked them if, when they bang their heads on the door (or anything else), their almost immediate social response was rage.
This has gotten me thinking: is the angry response an old survival mechanism from the old days when we went about clad in furs, carrying large clubs? I think it might be. After all, if, when we get knocked over the head, we only felt pain and misery, we would NOT be capable of defending ourselves, which we would need to do if said blow was delivered by an assailant. Instead, we get a surge of anger and adrenaline, and feel like attacking whatever caused the pain...

Did any of the above even make sense?

Psychology you say?

Then yes, you are over-thinking it.

But don't worry. Your need to over think things is rooted in your troubled childhood. I think that what you really need to do to overcome this- oop, sorry. Time's up. I will see you next week, Tim.

Show me on the doll where the cabinet touched you.

Then show me on yourself.

Go ahead caller, I'm listening.

Ah Frasier, good times, gooood times.

I never actually watched it, just used it to pass the time, but still, that time passing was a good time.

Well, I was hoping for some interesting opinions...but I just got trolled.

Still, though, you guys did make me laugh at how ridiculous my post sounds, in retrospect.

Wow. As OT as a thread can get, without Little Pony involvement.

4chan thread...

There's your problem, you came to OT for interesting opinions.

Rage is something I tend to display a lot when injured by inanimate objects, but the main emotion isn't so much rage as a deep hatred for the inanimate object that injured me to the point where I verbally abuse it, attack it, ignore it, give it a dirty look every time I pass it for the next few days, or some/all of the above.

I just say, "ouch."

Avatar 720 wrote:There's your problem, you came to OT for interesting opinions.

Rage is something I tend to display a lot when injured by inanimate objects, but the main emotion isn't so much rage as a deep hatred for the inanimate object that injured me to the point where I verbally abuse it, attack it, ignore it, give it a dirty look every time I pass it for the next few days, or some/all of the above.

Ha, that has happened to me, alot > http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

Some_Call_Me_Tim? wrote:So, as I am doing AP Psychology this year, I have gotten myself into the habit of thinking about why I react to certain things the way I do. Like today for instance, I banged the top of my head really hard on the underside of a cabinet door. Aside from screaming an obscenity, and the obvious fact that my eyes were watering from the pain, I also got really pissed off at the same time, and had to resist the urge to dismantle said door with my teeth. And I always get the same reaction when something hits me on the head with a lot of force: I feel the pain, and then about 0.5 of a second later, I get swamped by pure rage.

Of course, there is a chance I just have anger issues, so I went around and did a quick survey of my friends and family, who are all laid-back. I asked them if, when they bang their heads on the door (or anything else), their almost immediate social response was rage.
This has gotten me thinking: is the angry response an old survival mechanism from the old days when we went about clad in furs, carrying large clubs? I think it might be. After all, if, when we get knocked over the head, we only felt pain and misery, we would NOT be capable of defending ourselves, which we would need to do if said blow was delivered by an assailant. Instead, we get a surge of anger and adrenaline, and feel like attacking whatever caused the pain...

Did any of the above even make sense?

I'm assuming that you didn't bang your head on purpose because that would put a whole different slant on your post? In answer to your question it's because of your 'Fight or Flight' response that kicks in when something stressful or unexpected happens to us. Much the same reaction (anger) can happen when someone makes you jump. And no, I don't think you are over thinking things. It shows that you are interested in how the mind works which is good seems as you are studying Psychology.

Good luck.

When I'm hit on the head I feel pain and then forget about it.

corpsesarefun wrote:When I'm hit on the head I feel pain and then forget about it.

Good old amnesia.

Pain and immense fear usually lead to some form of anger for me...

I think it's natural...

Yup, I tend to want to, and sometimes do, smash/hit/abuse the object in question. Or human.

Some_Call_Me_Tim? wrote:
This has gotten me thinking: is the angry response an old survival mechanism from the old days when we went about clad in furs, carrying large clubs? I think it might be. After all, if, when we get knocked over the head, we only felt pain and misery, we would NOT be capable of defending ourselves, which we would need to do if said blow was delivered by an assailant. Instead, we get a surge of anger and adrenaline, and feel like attacking whatever caused the pain...

The anger response is one of several responses to negative stimuli, particularly negative stimuli that is the result of conscious action by others, so you're not far off.