ABSTRACT
If someone says something hurtful or insulting to us, we are very likely to become rather angry. Our heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, skin conductance, and so on, can change dramatically, as if someone has pushed a button. These changes can take place suddenly, usually without our knowledge and certainly without our permission. Once these changes have turned on, they tend to stay on for some time because the particular humiliating phrases, demeanours, gestures or looks that triggered the anger tend to reverberate within the mind and the mind becomes glued to these mental objects, so much so that it becomes difficult to notice the details of other things that may be happening around us. Even if someone tries to be nice to us we may not be able to notice or respond to this because the mind is already preoccupied with the negative mental object. When the feelings are strong, these can also spill over into action and we might end up responding in an equally hurtful manner, verbally, physically, or both.
