Having anger issues? Anger is not a negative thing. In fact, anger is a healthy emotion. However, it is not good to let anger control you. Anger can make you act uncontrollably and irrationally. It is important to tame your anger as it might cause problems and might affect your relationship with other people.
According to a psychologist, Charles Spielberger, anger is “an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage.” Getting angry will increase your heart rate, as well as your energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. You can get angry at people or even things. Sometimes, you get angry over the smallest issue.
So, how can you tame your anger? Follow these tips:
1) Relaxation
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- Breathe deeply
- Tell yourself to relax and calm down
- Visualize a relaxing place or experience
- Do a slow yoga to relax your tensed-muscle
2) Cognitive restructuring
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- Change the way you think. When a person gets angry, their mind can exaggerate things.
- Therefore, try to have rational thoughts. For instance, “Yes, I’m angry, but tomorrow will be better. This is not the end.”
- Remind yourself that getting angry won’t fix things.
- Stop using the words ‘never’ and ‘always.’ For example, “Everyone always fails me” or “I am never going to be enough.”
- This kind of thinking will only make you think there is no way to solve the problems you are facing.
3) Express your anger in a healthy way
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- Express your feelings to someone you trust
- Forget the past, and focus on the present. Do not meddle with the problems from the past while you are handling the present situation.
- Forgive and let it go.
It is not possible for us to get rid of anger. Anger is one of the human emotions. Nevertheless, it does not mean you can’t control it. If you can tame your anger, you can see the world on a positive side.
Sources: American Psychological Association, Help Guide
