

Most people who struggle with resentment do not experience it as anger all the time. More often it shows up as a heavy feeling in the background. A sense of unfairness that will not settle. A mental replay of what happened. A tightening when a certain person or situation comes to mind.
You might notice it steals energy. It can affect sleep, concentration, and patience with others. Many people I speak with say they feel worn down by it. Others say they feel stuck in an old emotional argument that never quite finishes.

In the previous article, we looked at behaviourism and how avoidance can become part of an anxiety maintenance cycle. This article explores the learning principles behind that process.
You may remember that behaviourism focuses on how our actions are shaped by their consequences. Learning theory goes a step further by explaining how these patterns form and become automatic. It helps us understand why certain experiences come to feel frightening and how those associations are strengthened or weakened over time. [...]