Failing to manage your anger can lead to a variety of problems like saying things you regret, yelling at your kids, threatening your co-workers, sending rash emails, developing health problems, or even resorting to physical violence. But not all anger issues are that serious. Instead, your anger might involve wasting time thinking about upsetting events, getting frustrated in traffic, or venting about work.
Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life. And it can make you feel as though you’re at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion. This brochure is meant to help you understand and control anger.
Deciding to get control of your anger — rather than letting it control you — means taking a good hard look at the ways you’ve been reacting when you get mad. Do you tend to yell and scream or say hurtful, mean, disrespectful things? Do you throw things, kick or punch walls, break stuff? Hit someone, hurt yourself, or push and shove others around?
What triggers your anger response? Sometimes it can be an event or the simple memory of one. Anger impacts your brain and your body by design. Anger is an appropriate response to occasions when you feel threatened but you can’t respond aggressively to everything that makes you angry.
For most people who have trouble harnessing a hot temper, reacting like this is not what they want. They feel ashamed by their behavior and don’t think it reflects the real them, their best selves.
The best way to manage your anger is to create an anger management control plan. Then, you’ll know what to do when you start feeling upset.
Ready to get your anger under control? Start by considering these 10 anger management tips.
Table of Contents
Identify Triggers
If you’ve gotten into the habit of losing your temper, take stock of the things that trigger your anger. Long lines, traffic jams, snarky comments, or excessive tiredness are just a few things that might shorten your fuse.
Evaluate Your Anger
Before you spring into action to calm yourself down, ask yourself if your anger is a friend or an enemy. If you’re witnessing someone’s rights being violated or you are in an unhealthy situation, your anger might be helpful.
Recognize Warning Signs
If you’re like some people, you may feel like your anger hits you in an instant. Perhaps you go from calm to furious in a heartbeat. But there are still likely warning signs when your anger is on the rise. Recognizing them early can help you take action to prevent your anger from reaching a boiling point.
Step Away
Trying to win an argument or sticking it out in an unhealthy situation will only fuel your anger. One of the best things you can do when your anger is rising is to remove yourself from the situation if you can.
Talk to a Friend
If there’s someone who has a calming effect on you, talking through an issue or expressing your feelings to that person may be helpful.
Get Moving
Anger gives you a rush of energy. One of the best ways to put that surge to good use is to engage in physical activity. Whether you go for a brisk walk or hit the gym, working out can burn off extra tension.
Manage Your Thoughts
Angry thoughts add fuel to your anger. Thinking things like, “I can’t stand it. This traffic jam is going to ruin everything,” will increase your frustration. When you find yourself thinking about things that fuel your anger, reframe your thoughts.
Change the Channel
The best way to calm down might be to change the channel in your brain and focus on something else altogether.
Focus on Relaxation
There are many different relaxations exercises you can utilize to reduce anger. The key is to find the one that works best for you. Breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation are two common strategies for reducing tension.
Explore Your Feelings
Sometimes it helps to take a moment and think about what emotions might be lurking beneath your anger. Anger often serves as a protective mask to help you avoid feeling more painful emotions, like embarrassment, sadness, and disappointment.
Learning better communication strategies and conflict-resolution skills can benefit your work life and home life, too. Fostering positive relationships with friends and family members can help you feel healthier and you’ll probably sleep better, too. Research on anger-control connects it to lower blood pressure, and longer life expectancy.
Everyone can change — but only when they want to. If you want to make a big change in how you’re handling your anger, think about what you’ll gain from that change. Remembering why you want to make the change can help.
If anger has been causing problems in your life and you’re struggling to tame your temper on your own, you might want to seek professional help. Some mental health problems can be linked to anger management issues. Start by talking to your physician about your mood and your behavior. Your physician will make sure you don’t have any physical health issues that are contributing to the problem.
At people psychology, we will help you control your anger by practicing and improving to take control of yourself. In time, you will be able to better manage your anger.
Without anger management skills, one’s fury or rage can become constant, having a negative impact on life at home, school, or work. Being overly angry can cause a person to lose jobs, friendships, or romantic partners. It can also cause physiological problems such as hypertension, high blood pressure, and depression. To learn more about anger’s effects on health, visit Psychology Melbourne CBD.
Contact People Psychology Melbourne CBD today if you or someone you love has anger management issues. Remember you don’t have to feel alone trying to manage your anger. We’re here to help you. Call now to book your anger management appointment today!