MANAGING YOUR ANGER
Posted: March 25, 2019
Many of the people that I see in my practice mask their feelings with anger. Anger is what they can identify with. Embarrassment, disappointment, fear, shame; these feelings are hidden under the guise of anger. Anger is just a feeling. It is neither bad nor good. However, anger can become a problem when it is experienced excessively, explosively or is expressed violently. Venting anger in an aggressive way can cause a person to be more aggressive. Exploding with anger too often can cause stress on the body leading to hypertension, heart disease, and a diminished immune system. Learning to manage your anger in a more healthy way can improve your quality of life.
Try these 5 tips to begin managing your anger more appropriately.
- Become more aware of your anger triggers. Are there certain situations or events that trigger your anger?
- Take a time out. Leave the situation that is causing an escalation in your anger or stop the conversation.
- Try relaxation through breathing. Instead of allowing your anger to trigger your body’s stress response, you can practice taking slow deep breaths in order to hinder anger escalation.
- Learn how to implement Thought Stopping. Picture a stop sign, imagine someone telling you to “stop” or say “stop”. Then focus on something else; something that gives you pleasure like going on vacation, hanging out with friends, taking a walk, etc. Keep those positive thoughts in your mind until you can feel your anger de-escalating.
- Improve your ability to handle conflict assertively.
- Identify the problem
- Identify your feelings associated with the problem
- Identify the impact the problem has on you
- Decide whether to solve the problem
- Offer a solution that can serve both parties