Masterminded, Managed Meltdowns...Titrated Temper Tantrums...Excogitated Exclamations?!

AYK?! How much more oxy'moronic' can you get?! Originally from the Wall Street Journal, recently reprinted in the Reader's Digest, "The Art of a Good Meltdown" elucidates the 'upsides' of a tension induced tantrum: "A meltdown is the body's natural mechanism to let go, to cleanse itself of painful emotions". A quote included in the article from a psychologist specializing in the science of 'happiness' (see March 20th post). This, cites the author, Elizabeth Bernstein (a columnist for the WSJ who holds a master's degree in journalism from Columbia and did a fellowship in 'brain science' at MIT), "...especially after you've had to hold it together through a pandemic and a quarantine...". She further posits that, while meltdowns (those of both a financial nature with which the WSJ more often concerns itself, as well as those emotive) certainly predate the pandemic, we've been 'losing it' more often the past year (no empirical evidence but convincing intuition). Given my four decades of watching and learning about the mechanics and effects of TT's, I decided to offer you Ms. Bernstein's components of an "Effective Meltdown" and some of my own editorial/parenthetical comments, just in case you came across the article and decide to try this at home:

1) "Accept it...lets you release tension..." (yes, but be prepared others might not as readily accept it and find their own bp  rising as a result...collateral damage?)

2) "Know what you need..." (yes, it's all about you, and after you have one of these, your family reminds me it always has to go your way, or else...)

3) "Model a good meltdown..." (in early elementary teachers taught us to "use your words" but I seldom hear adults using such 'tempered' language while losing theirs)

4) "Try an 'alternate rebellion'...do something you enjoy..." (such as turning off your phone, rather than quitting your job--so there! I do routinely ask teens in such moments just what they are rebelling against, what they think it will accomplish, and alternative pathways to getting what they want)

5) "Calm yourself, explore the meaning, and move on..." (and as you go on your merry way, expect others to 'recover' just as easily? You might want to include an acknowledgement "that was not my finest moment" and/or "you deserve better", otherwise tacit indications of your intention to change your behavior)

#6 - My bonus to you, for reading this post, for being a 'loyal listener': "Pre-emptive Reflection" -- when the conditions are ripe for another episode, reflect on what the others you have now accumulated have accomplished and how you might want to 'refine the whine'. Otherwise, it may be a case of "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results..." Sound and feel familiar?

And, finally, speaking of 'Oxy', when you are experiencing a rising internal temperature, on the threshold of thrashing another, you just might want to indulge yourself (i.e. "do something you enjoy...") by cleansing your face with "Oxy" or another such product...maybe you'll experience a cooler countenance, a fresh outlook! 

OK, NOW you can try this at home...