Boiling Point: The High Cost of Unhealthy Anger to Individuals and Society
The lingering debate over whether anger should be expressed or repressed is given a new twist by the author of Shame and Guilt (Health Communications, 1990). Middleton-Moz covers various anger-related pathologies like depression, physical illness, self-righteousness and fanaticism, passive aggression, and violence, dispensing useful advice to both the angry person and his or her victim. "Composite" case studies and moving accounts from the author's own life help the reader identify particular problems and anger "triggers." Middleton-Moz ventures beyond simple self-help formulas; no particular treatment methods for rage are espoused, though she suggests that a combination of psychological, environmental, and biochemical approaches are most effective for dealing with depressive reactions. She also delves into the roots of anger, touching on issues ranging from road rage to children's views of violence to a psychohistory of Adolf Hitler. This popularly written title is an optional but intriguing purchase for public libraries.AAntoinette Brinkman, Southwest Indiana Mental Health Ctr. Lib., EvansvilleCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.