We all feel angry at times; it’s a natural response to threats and attacks, injustice and disappointment. Anger is a powerful emotion and releasing the pressure that builds inside you can be essential to deal with problems and move on. But if anger isn’t dealt with in a healthy way, it can have a significant effect on your daily life, relationships, achievements and mental well-being.
We all know why people get angry it can be when someone has wronged you on purpose, sometimes people snap on something that wouldn’t usually bother them simply because they just having a bad day, well you know those kind of people. At times anger stays locked inside us for decades because it wasn’t dealt with sufficiently at the time and this could be bad.
Anger is neither good nor bad, the only time it becomes a problem it’s when it harms you and other people. Anger might affect you physically or emotionally, driving your blood pressure high, causing depression, stroke and addiction to alcohol or illegal drugs. Here is a guide to help you manage your anger:
Take time to respond. When you feel the first surge of anger boiling up inside you, pause for a moment. Think about what has made you angry, think about the consequences of exploding in a rage and then choose how to respond. Even in the middle of an argument, it’s not too late to take a deep breath and choose to express your feelings differently. Give rational thinking time to kick in.
Count to ten before you act. Drop your shoulders and breathe deeply to help you relax – your instincts may be telling your body to get ready to fight, but your rational self can reverse this message by telling your body to chill out. If you feel the urge to throw something or hit out, remove yourself from the situation and try taking it out on something soft like a cushion that you won’t damage and which won’t hurt you. Try screaming if it won’t disturb people near you or scream into a pillow to release your tension.
Distract yourself or take yourself out of the situation that made you angry – read a magazine, do a crossword, listen to soothing music, go for a walk.
Talk to a friend. Offload to a friend who will help you get perspective on the situation. Work off your anger through exercise – channelling your energy into exercise instead will increase the release of feel good brain chemicals called endorphins which help us relax.
Be assertive. Being assertive is a healthy way to express anger. Take ownership of the situation and your feelings. Tell people that you are feeling angry and why.
Good communication skills can help you get your message across. Keep the lines of communication open. Listen to other people’s point of view. Assuming you know where they stand can create a problem where there is none and escalate a situation from bad to worse.
Protect your mental health. People in good mental health are better able to cope when things go wrong; feeling stressed makes it harder for us to cope with problems. The following are some of the things known to be good for our mental health.
Keep physically active. Eat a balanced diet – some foods are more effective than others at supplying us with a steady flow of fuel to help us function well, while nutrients found in certain foods can affect mood in different ways.
Understand you have a problem
Everyone gets angry. And sometimes anger can be a good thing, for example when it motivates us to do something about social injustice. But if your anger is out of control and threatening to damage friendships, romance or your career, you need to take action.
Get Help
If you are worried about your own anger or another aspect of your mental health, the good place to start is going to the doctor. They may be able to suggest ways you can manage your anger yourself or they may refer you for further support.
