Abducted by an Alien!

In November of 2012, Floridian Holly Solomon ran over her husband with her car, critically wounding him. Why would she do something like that? Her reason: because he wouldn’t vote. Her fear and hatred of Obamacare turned her into a violent stranger. Unbelievable? Absolutely, but also true. In June of 2014, 28-year-old Louisville, KY Toya Mathis, also ran over her husband in a fit of rage. She was shocked when she was later told he’d died. Her neighbor said, “…but I will put my hand to Jesus, to say that I know it’s not Toya.”

What happened to those two women? What happens to any of us when we get that angry? Isn’t it like we’ve been taken over by an Alien? The real us vanishes without a trace. We yell, strike out, throw and break things. And as mentioned in the examples above, even kill.

Anger is a response to physical or emotional pain; it’s a second-hand emotion—a cover for feeling vulnerable, a way to manipulate, or a temporary boost to self-esteem. A person dominated by anger can’t hear, can’t see, and can’t rationalize. They are truly possessed—not unlike what happened to Toya Mathis.

A few years ago, I had a personal experience with a client who was so angry at her landlord for raising her rent, she drove right through her own apartment. Imagine waking up from that spell. What was worse, the rent being raised, or the cost of all the repairs the apartment would necessitate? Not to mention, possible prison time. She could have maybe, just maybe, looked for another apartment. Just a thought.

People who have these violent outbursts are regular people most of the time, but when the anger comes, it’s truly like an Alien has taken over their minds and bodies.

Before you or a loved one is abducted by an Alien, here are some helpful suggestions:

1. When you start to get upset, count to 10, or leave the room and go for a long walk. That little break can have an extremely calming effect.

2. Think before you speak. Envision the possible consequences.

3. Say how you feel instead of acting it out. Use “I” statements. For example, “I really feel strongly about you voting This is important to me.” If the person still doesn’t budge, let it go. Forcing your will on anyone is never the answer, no matter how angry you are. Nothing is worth killing someone and going to prison for the rest of your life.

It’s extremely difficult to calm down after the Alien has taken over; better to never allow it to happen.

So, if you start to feel the presence of an Alien, get out of its way. Save yourself and your loved one. Breathe and count to 10. Soon you'll be back to your normal self and will have averted possible disaster.