Ways to Control Anger

From LoveToKnow Stress

Finding ways to control anger can help you have a more stress-free life at home and in the workplace. The key is to identify the cause of your anger and find a simple solution to managing it.

Meditation is one way to control an angry outburst.

Why Controlling Your Anger is Important

Getting a handle on your anger before it controls you will not only help you succeed in your personal life, but your professional one as well. Anger is a strong feeling of antagonism, hostility, or displeasure toward someone or something. It is an adopted behavior that takes on many forms including verbal, physical, and emotional outbursts. Anger can have many stressful effects on not only your life, but on others around you. Some effects of anger include:

Marital and family problems
Poor work performance
Feeling negative and uneasy
Lack of energy
Restless sleep
Lack of appetite or too much of an appetite
Tendency to gossip
Possibility of losing family and friends
Numerous health problems such as ulcers, strokes, weight loss or weight gain, heart attacks, and gastrointestinal disorders

Causes of Anger

If you are able to identify this behavior in your life, then you must figure out what causes it. You will not be able to control your anger until you understand what your stress triggers. There are many factors to take into account when you looking for the origins of your anger, including:

Harassment or bullying by friends, family, co-workers, or strangers
Hurt from a failed relationship or job loss
Physical threats from strangers, acquaintances, or close friends
Disappointment from failing to complete a task
Frustration at others around you, whether it be at home or in the workplace
Annoyance due to environmental stressors

Simple Ways to Control Anger

Controlling your anger can be done in one of several ways. If one approach doesn't seem to work there are other anger management techniques you can try. The goal is not give up until you find what best works for you, but you must give it time to work.

Relaxation

Probably the number one way to control hostility or anger is through a combination of muscle relaxation and controlled deep breathing. Because your heart and breathing rates increase when you are angry or anxious, you can deliberately lower them by practicing relaxation techniques. To achieve these lower rates you can:

Perform yoga
Receive a massage
Listen to music
Practice hypnosis
Meditate
Practice imagery or visualization
Do tai chi
Exercise
Use guided programs, either through music, relaxation ponds, or relaxation clinics

Humor

Another way to manage your anger is through humor. Through the use of jokes or comedy, individuals can release a tremendous amount of stress without posing harm or anxiety to themselves or others. Besides helping you get a balanced perspective on the situation that has caused your anger, you can also learn not to take yourself so seriously. Ways to incorporate humor into your life include:

Watching or reading cartoons
Doing stand-up comedy
Telling jokes
Writing humorous poems or jokes
Visualizing the person you are mad at in a silly situation

Use Words

Using words to calm yourself down before an outburst can be a good thing. Find a key word, such as "calm" or "relax," and repeat it to yourself every time you want to burst out an angry comment. Besides communicating with yourself, using acceptable verbal expressions with others are appropriate ways to control anger. Others around you will appreciate hearing a calm person speak of their feelings, rather than someone who is out of control.

Other Methods

More ways to manage your anger include:

Praying
Listening to music
Taking a relaxing bath
Talking to a friend
Understanding no one is perfect
Drinking a tall glass of water
Sleeping

If All Else Fails

If taking the proper steps to handle your anger doesn't work and you feel that you really are out of control, then you need to seek counseling. A professional can use different types of therapy and medication to help you manage your anger.