Stress is a subjective term, difficult to define. Stress is physiological; however, it manifests from many external events or factors such as work, bereavement or loss, culture and prejudice, poverty, relationships, and even extraneous noise (Wade and Tavris, 2002, p. 412-413). Most definitely, everyone attempts to alleviate themselves of stress with different methods. Unfortunately, they may be physiologically coerced into a chronically stressful state by their innate nature. As one examines “Anger Management,” directed by Peter Segal, starring Adam Sandler as “David Buznick” Jack Nickelson as “Buddy Rydell,” Marisa Tomei as “Linda,” while noting its paramount motif focused on stress, they can better identify how to cope with stress.
Foremost, however, one must consider the sequenced processes that entail stress; there are three phases. The first is the “attack” phase” in which a “stressor” (a phenomena that causes stress) reaches a person (Wade and Tavris, p. 411). The second phase is the “resistance” phase; while attempting to cope with the initial stressor, one becomes vulnerable to other stressors (Wade and Tavris, p. 411). Lastly, in the “exhaustion” phase, one's body surrenders to stress as they become sick (Wade and Tavris, p. 411).
Multitudinous elements of psychology correlate with stress, and some are overtly identified in society. As one will examine, the media exploits many psychological aspects of stress; in specificity, the movie “Anger Management,” will be examined. “Anger Management” will be analyzed for its lucid portrayal of the importance of coping with stress; it will also reveal the various stressors, which derive from the workplace, which is David's focal (most effected) stressor. One should note David's behaviors and mental processes and how they affect how he copes with stress.
One must examine the workplace as an influential stressor in the lives of middle-aged adults, such as David. “Organizational change and restructuring are widely recognized as highly stressful for employees” (Riolli and Savicki, 2006, p. 3). One who has viewed “Anger Managemen” can understand David's situation: His boss forces David to do his own work, and David completes his boss's work in hopes for a promotion, but also because of the fear of getting fired. One should note that, to summate, David's romantic relationship did cause some stress, which we will refer to; however, his girlfriend (Linda) was more philanthropic, as one would realize in the end of the movie.
One should examine David's coping methods for their unfruitful effects, prior to his counseling. David fails to confront serious issues regarding his unfair work status, in which he is too passive to assertively confront his boss. David's passive nature broadly inhibits his ability to cope with stress. This is because David approaches dealing with stressors through avoidance coping. Avoidance coping methods “entail orientation away from stressful circumstances, they tend to be ineffective for alleviating distress associated with stressors (Brennan, Schutte, and Moos, 2006, p. 3).
David never directly faced his stressors, but he relied on ineffective “cognitive substitutes” for coping. Such consisted of, following Brennan's, et al., model,
“cognitive avoidance, which assesses cognitive attempts to avoid thinking realistically about a problem; resigned acceptance, which assesses cognitive attempts to react to the problem by accepting it; alternative rewards, which measures behavioral attempts to get involved in substituted activities and create new sources of satisfaction; and emotional discharge, which measures behavioral attempts to reduce tension by expressing negative feelings” (p. 5).
Foremost, David used “cognitive avoidance” in his romantic relationship by avoiding true commitment, such as proposing to Linda, his girlfriend. David employed “resigned acceptance” by systematically accepting the obligations of his boss because David perceived that he absolutely needed the job he had; in addition, David sought out the “alternate reward” of getting a promotion, instead of directly confronting his boss. David expressed his negative emotions (emotional discharge) by attacking Buddy when Buddy was deceiving David into thinking he had “stolen” Linda. All of these unhealthy behaviors delayed David's process of efficaciously coping with stressors, whereas they only made David more vulnerable.
Dave fortunately had social resources that helped him resolve his stressors. According to the Brennan, et al., “participants who had more social resources at baseline were more likely to resolve their stressors…” (p.11). Buddy Rydelle is a paramount example of David's social resources. David also relied on Tomei as a family/friend resource to cope with stress “…because family and friends provide a context for initiation and evaluation of coping efforts, as well as direct instrumental, informational, and emotional support with stressors, having more social resources in late middle age may foreshadow subsequent stressor resolution” (Brennan ,et al., p. 11). One may be confused because, previously, David's romantic situation was identified as a stressor. However, one should note the emotional support that Linda inadvertently provided David, being both supportive and suggestive in helping David cope with stress: “…the mere knowledge of the availability of a potentially responsive caregiver will often suffice for older children and adults” (Feeney and Kirkpatrick, 2006, p. 120). One may further perceive that Linda provided instrumental and informational support. This is because she contacted Buddy Rydell and got help for David.
We recognize that Buddy frequently confronted David about his passive avoidance in dealing with stress, such as sulking and muttering. Buddy optimally encouraged Dave to directly confront his boss, as one who employs approach coping, which will “reflect an individual's active efforts to change stressful circumstances” (Brennan, Schutte, and Moos, 2006, p. 3), would. As Buddy would encourage David to directly resolve his stressors, we must examine the psychological predisposition of his behavior. Throughout the movie, David utilizes abstract ways of coping with his stress: “individuals who never resolve their stressors would use more exploratory relative to directed coping responses than would individuals who always resolve their stressors” (Brennan p. 3). An example of David's exploratory coping is found when Linda asks him for a break in their relationship. David uses exploratory coping by going out on a date with another girl (which, by mistake, turned into two girls) where he knew Linda was at dinner with who he found out was Buddy (Buddy and Linda deceived David into thinking they were now dating). Near the end of the movie, David earned back his relationship by proposing to Linda at a major league baseball game, the essence of direct coping. At the end of the movie, David also confronted his boss in the end. He handed his boss a fake portfolio (which was the bosses responsibility) and quit his job. David finally eliminated his focal stressor; he was able to live a more healthy life.
We understand how stressors interfere with daily life There are diverse ways to cope with stressors. Identifying our personal focal stressors and directly confronting them will better our health. The theme of “Anger Management” is to cope with stress through action. Perhaps Hollywood, though it is sensationalized, can teach valuable lessons.
