You may have seen one of these Dammit! dolls before. They are pretty popular and I have one in my office. I have even given them as gifts to friends and colleagues in the past. I have to say that I really love these dammit dolls. Why? Because we all have anger. We all need to let that anger out and I rather smack around this little colorful doll than to snap at a loved one or bottle it up.
Anger management is a skill we all need to have but many of us don’t. We learn that anger is ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ and that we have to push it down and pretend it doesn’t bother us. But pushing down feelings and pretending nothing is wrong is not healthy. That pressure builds and it WILL come out, most likely at the worst possible moment in the worst possible way. Instead of letting it build, I encouraged my clients to say “DAMMIT!” and let it out. Finding something that helps reduce the tension is an important part of being a well-balanced and healthy person. Maybe for you that is playing a game where you shoot aliens or fight zombies. Maybe it’s going for a run or chopping up wood. Maybe it’s turning on some death metal and screaming until your voice starts to crack. Maybe it’s ripping up paper and throwing oranges at a brick wall. Find something that works for you. Don’t let it build up. Don’t be afraid to say “Dammit!”
