Welcome back to Ask Scratchy, a monthly column in which the Animaniacs’ top psychiatric mind answers the tough questions for cartoon characters from the four corners of the Earth—or, in this case, from the Fire Nation. To submit a question, email the good doctor at askscratchansniff@gmail.com.
I have need of your service, Doctor.
My snivelling excuse for a brother has ascended to the throne of the Fire Nation—a throne that should be mine to sit. It was enough already that he, an outcast and a weakling, would have ruled in my place just because he’s older. But then he betrayed our father, Phoenix King Ozai, after Father named me his heir as well as the new Fire Lord. And he betrayed me as well, putting me in prison to rot after his little waterbending snow peasant girlfriend interrupted our Agni Kai.
I demand my rightful place on the throne! It makes me sick to think of that pathetic, Avatar-loving traitor leading our proud country into irrelevance! He was always weak. That’s why Mother loved him more than me, always doting over him and brushing his hair and holding his hand—all the while looking at me like I was some monster she was shocked to have ever birthed. Father was always the one who saw what I really am: stronger, smarter, more beautiful, and better than all the rest. Certainly better than those disloyal cretins Mai and Ty Lee. How dare they betray me as well!?
But then that prancing, bald little airbending freak took away Father’s firebending. Now he’s just as weak as the rest of them, rotting in his cell, trying to wheedle the guards and return to power.
Doctor! How do I show the peons of our once-great nation that it is I who am deserving of their worship and loyalty? How can I lay my wretched brother low, and once again prove to the world that I am the greatest firebender alive!?
I require your advice at once, and expect a response immediately.
That is all,
Your Rightful Fire Lord
Guten Tag Your Rightful Fire Lord,
It sounds like you’re really fired up! And rightfully so: your throne was ripped out from under you; your friends betrayed you; the parent who loved and understood you lost his power and influence; and your country is going down a new political path that will surely lead to its destruction. Even the most calm and contemplative air temple dweller would be angry in this situation.
You could try to dethrone your brother. Spend your time in captivity training (furtively, so you don’t catch your guard’s attention); research where the lion turtles live so you can restore your father’s firebending; slowly spread rumors about your brother’s political ineptitude so the people will want him out of power. At the same time, any or all of these plans could get you into big trouble. Fire is hard to hide and the lion turtles are hard to find. And although rumors tend to spread like wildfire, the source is easier to trace than you’d might expect.
Instead, don’t try to control what’s happening around you, but rather control how you react to it. Although I get the sense that this is not the advice you want to hear, it’s the best advice I can give you. And fortunately, there are tons of techniques you can use to manage your anger and feel better. I’ll give you a few of them here, but I highly encourage you to seek out professional help from a licensed therapist (if they provide those where you’re incarcerated). Okay, onto the techniques:
4–7–8 Breathing
Most folks feel a distinct set of mental and physical symptoms when they start to feel angry: your face may flush and you may begin to sweat; different parts of your body may start to tingle and you could start feeling dizzy; your thoughts rush while your body tenses and shakes, your heart rate increases, and your vision starts to slowly fuzz. When you start feeling any of these symptoms, start your 4–7–8 breathing. Actually, before you start, put your hand on your diaphragm. You should feel it expand as you breathe in (this is not an intuitive way of breathing for many people). As soon as you have the hang of that, breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds. Next, hold your breath for 7 seconds and finally, breathe out through your mouth for 8 seconds. Do this a few times, and you should feel some of those physical symptoms (the flushing, tingling, sweating, etc.) decrease. Your racing thoughts should slow down and you will be able to think more clearly. Like firebending, calming the mind relies on controlling the breath.
Use Your Imagination
Continue breathing deeply and close your eyes. Start to visualize a place that makes you feel calm. Maybe that’s the beach on the island you used to visit as a child. Or maybe that’s in your father’s throne room, sitting with him learning about the history of your nation. Whatever it is, engage every sense as you visualize: where are you, what can you see, and what can you hear? What does this place smell like and does it have a taste? What are you touching and how does it feel? This exercise should both distract you from and placate your burning anger.
Exercise Regularly and When You’re Angry
How much are you currently exercising? Given what you’ve been going through, it would be useful to aim for at least 30 minutes of cardio every day. Anger is energy and energy can be depleted with vigorous exercise. I’d also suggest trying some calming physical activity when you feel angry. Exercises like yoga, simple stretching, walking, and swimming can help clear your head and make you feel relaxed and refreshed.
Challenge Your Thoughts
Notice what kinds of thoughts go through your head when you’re angry. I’m guessing they’re pretty harsh and decisive. You should be ruling your nation. Your brother should not be the Fire Lord. The Avatar is a weak, bad person. Are these statements really true? Weigh the evidence for and against them. Is the Avatar a bad person or do you just disagree with the choices he makes? Is your brother totally unqualified for his position, or does he have some qualities that might make him a good leader? Spend some time exploring these questions and see how you feel. If you can find some evidence against your fiery thoughts, your perspective on your situation will balance.
If you can’t find any evidence against your claims, though, try and soften the way you talk to yourself. How would you feel if you changed, “I should be running my nation” to “I could be running our nation, but that’s not the way things panned out.” Take that a step further: “I could be running the Fire Nation, but that’s not the way things panned out. Maybe there’s a way for me to reconcile my differences with my brother and help him lead more effectively.” How do you feel now? Are you still angry?
Ultimately, the choice is up to you. Will you try to take your brother down, or your anger? Choosing the latter will put you on a much less dangerous path, and will help soothe the burning rage inside of you. And das, Your Rightful Fire Lord, is gut.
Azula’s Ask Scratchy question was submitted by John Maher.
Ask Scratchy is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Although the character Dr. Scratchansniff is modeled after two psychoanalytic luminaries, Sigmund Freud and Otto Kernberg, this column is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, mental health professional, or other qualified health provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding a medical condition.
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