Meet some of the hottest tempered animated characters on television. Each one of these characters has a unique and distinct way of reacting to anger. Some are volatile and others just simply pitch a fit of rage. Regardless of their anger style, they all have one thing in common: they could all use some anger management skills.
5. Yosemite Sam
“Ooooooooooooooooooooo!” Coming in at number five on the list is Yosemite Sam. This rambunctious little gun-packing cowboy has a thirst for vengeance. His hatred (of Bugs Bunny) blurs his ability to see things clearly. With weapons within reach, this hot-headed ball of fire is a danger to himself and others! Yosemite needs to be “blasted” with some anger management therapy.
Goals of Yosemite’s therapy would include:
Removing all weapons from his possession
Recognizing the things/situations that trigger his anger
Exploring Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to challenge distorted thinking
Learning tolerance and acceptance
Learning skills to release hatred (it only fuels rage) and to be more empathic
4. Squidward Quincy Tentacles
Squidward Quincy Tentacles has yet to see his "The Best Day Ever." In fact, with his grumpy, short-tempered and selfish personality, he can fail to even see beyond the reflection in the mirror. This arrogant, prideful octopus/squid character frequently considers himself of high status. Quick to blame others for his shortcomings, Squidward has a difficult time accepting any responsibility. In fact, if he’s not blaming people, he’s insulting them. One of his catchphrases is, "If I had a dollar for every brain you don’t have, I'd have one dollar." Squidward spends a lot of time plotting against SpongeBob. His plans often backfire leaving him facing the consequences of his actions.
Squidward's counseling goals would include:
Accepting responsibility for actions by exploring rationalization and justification
Learning to appreciate and accept others
Exploring how feelings of superiority can lead to being isolated and lonely
Creating and maintaining healthy relationships
3. Donald Duck
“Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!” Where do we start? Donald’s story is a dichotomy of tails—“Aw, phooey!”—I mean tales. On one wing, he’s kind, caring and loyal and on the other, he’s easily frazzled and flies into fits of rage. Donald is most notably known for his uncontrollable temper tantrums. It doesn’t take much to blow this little duck’s top. Send Huey, Dewey, and Louie to visit and you’ll find Donald struggling to maintain his cool; despite his love for his nephews. Donald’s reactions are so over the top that it’s hard not to fall in love with this fowl-mouthed angry bird! Donald shows us that there’s a struggle within us to do the right thing no matter how hard that may be. Donald’s mood swings from one extreme to the other. His anger often wreaks havoc on his life, particularly his love life with Miss Daisy.
Things Donald could benefit from in therapy include:
Filtering his reactions
Working through his emotions of jealousy, frustration, and anger (at times rage)
Finding healthy outlets to cool his feathers
Exploring how his anger hurts the ones he loves most
2. Tasmanian Devil (aka Taz)
This ill-tempered ferocious little devil is notoriously known for his lack of patience and his short fuse. Frequently spinning out of control, he is very destructive and rarely communicates. Taz sets the bar high in illustrating how anger can be a destructive force of nature.
THE BASICS
- How Can I Manage My Anger?
- Find counselling to heal from anger
Things Taz could benefit from in therapy:
Understanding anger's effect on the body
Learning how to communicate and express his feelings
Self-monitoring skills to exam patterns of angry behaviors
Finding alternative ways to cope with anger rather than eating
Practicing relaxation and mindfulness techniques
1. The Incredible Hulk
Making a “smash” in at number one is “The Incredible Hulk." He is an interesting character who shows us that not all anger is bad. In fact, anger can be a driving force or catapult for good. On the flip side, the Hulk is a great example of how anger can transform us into something unbecoming. David Banner’s hurtful past was instrumental in making him into the angry force that many of us grew up watching: “The Hulk." To give him credit, he often verbalizes a warning to his victims, if only they would listen to him when he says, "Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!" One thing that stands out about the Hulk is that he shows us how the beast within us can be tamed.
Anger Essential Reads
Mastering Irrational Anger—Yours and Others'
Do You or Your Child Confuse Hatred and Anger?
Things the Hulk could benefit from in therapy:
Exploring suppressed and hurtful past experiences
Learning the events and situations that trigger anger
Exploring non-aggressive ways to cope with feelings
Allowing himself to feel loved and cared for
Exploring and learning ways to reduce impulse control
And there you have it, the top five cartoon characters that could use some techniques to help them control their anger. From blasting varmints to smashing things, each of these characters highlight different ways that anger can manifest itself in our lives and relationships.
That’s all, folks!
