Your mental health is as important as your physical health. Any mental health issue, like anxiety or anger management, should be treated with as much care and precision as you’d care for a physical ailment like heart or kidney disease.
How to deal with anger management issues? It is a million-dollar question increasingly asked by people across the globe these days. And why not? A growing number of citizens need help with anger management or anger management control, whichever way you put it. Mayo Clinic puts the issue beautifully into perspective when it states that various situations show a lack of anger control. These could be anything from another motorist cutting you off on the road or any defiance by your child, for instance.
While anger is a perfectly normal emotion, you should know how to deal with anger positively. Here are a few ways that may help you control or manage anger positively while paving the foundation towards a healthier emotional life.
Dealing with anger issues- Handy tips
Here are some anger self-help tips that you can try:
- Thinking before speaking- When we get angry, we often say rather mean things without realizing the same. In most cases, we regret these later. Hence, practice pausing before speaking and gathering your thoughts and feelings. It will automatically defuse the tension in the air.
- Show anger after calming down-. As easy it may sound, we understand how hard it may be to control one’s immediate emotions, especially anger. However, take a deep breath and walk away from a situation that makes you very angry. Calm yourself down. When you are ready to rationally approach the subject that made you angry, go back and calmly explain what affected you the most.
- Exercise always works– When trying to control anger exercising goes a long way. Regular exercise helps increase serotonin levels in the brain, a chemical that helps regulate our moods. In addition, physical activity reduces stress levels, thereby keeping you in a happier state of mind.
- Timeout concepts always work- Timeouts or short breaks throughout the day are recommended, especially in stressful situations. Taking breaks may help you handle things better while keeping anger at bay.
- Always look for solutions- Whenever you are angry, practice thinking about what can instantly solve your problems. Do this instead of thinking about the reasons for your anger. Whenever you start finding solutions, your anger issues will automatically reduce.
- Modify your core statements- Whenever you get angry, do not blame others or criticise them. Instead, talk about the reason behind your anger and what can make you feel better.
- Let go of old grudges– Forgiving is a beautiful way to embrace life and other people. Let go of all your grudges as they hold traumatic memories which hinder your healing process..
- Humour is a terrific stress-buster- Cracking a sudden joke or seeing the funny side in any situation will instantly defuse anger and help everyone find solutions to problems.
- Deep breathing is still indispensable- When you get angry, practice taking a deep breath and relaxing this will help calm you down. You can even put on some music or vent out by writing in your journal. Doing yoga is also a good idea for relaxation.
- Take help whenever needed- Learning how to control one’s anger is challenging, and you should not be afraid to ask for help whenever you need the same. Taking professional advice will help you overcome your issues faster.
The APA-American Psychological Association states that anger management has a central objective i.e. lowering the triggers that lead to anger and also emotional feelings caused by the same. While getting rid of things, people and situations that make you angry is not always possible, however, you can learn to control your reactions and feelings instead.
Psychologist Jerry Deffenbacher, PhD, also feels that some individuals get angrier than their peers. However, reactions are not always shouting, quarrelling or throwing away objects. Some people may sulk, withdraw from others or get sick as well. Those with a lower frustration tolerance threshold often get angry instantly.
It may be due to physiological or genetic reasons alike. Those coming from chaotic, unorganised, irresponsible and disruptive family backgrounds may not be good at emotional expression and overall communication, leading to anger outbursts or bottling up feelings altogether. It is thus vital to discover what makes you angry and take constructive steps towards controlling your reactions accordingly. Choose a trustworthy health clinic that aids in solving any problems with your mental as well as physical health.