Stress in Light of the Movie “Anger Management”

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).