5 Ways to Control Your Anger When it Comes

Anger is a powerful emotion with some people being more prone to it than others. Because of its intensity, it’s not always easy to control. And when this happens, it can make people say and do things that they deeply regret. Thankfully there are ways to control your anger when it comes. Even with its power, there are effective ways to tame that inner fire and deal with your emotions in a more productive and healthy manner. Here are some ideas that could work for you.

Acknowledge Your Anger

Hiding and suppressing your anger is not the same as learning to tame and deal with it. In fact, pretending you’re not angry can exacerbate the issue and aggravate your inner raging bull even more. Acknowledging your anger – whether it’s to yourself, your partner, or your colleague – in a calm manner can help settle those embers before they escalate into fire. Expressing how you feel and talking about it in an appropriate way is a simple but effective method for diminishing anger before it intensifies.

Gain Clarity on Your Anger

For those who get easily worked up, it can often be difficult for them even to pinpoint what exactly has them steaming. If this sounds like you, try to gain more clarity on the exact source and reason for your anger by breaking it down. Take a few personal moments to sit down and walk through the steps and situations that got you to this point. If you can, write it down or type it out. This helps you manage it more easily as you physically write out what you’re feeling and why. Plus, it can also help you understand your triggers and how you can try to either cope or avoid them.

Burn it off with Exercise

Sometimes after a stressful day at work, you just need some way to blow off some steam productively – and exercising is one of the best ways to do this. When you get worked up, head to the gym or join in on a lunch-hour fitness class to channel your energy and get your feel-good hormones flowing. This will help calm you down, regroup your thoughts and put all of that frustration to good use.

Calm Your Breathing

When we get angry, our entire body tenses up, our heart rate quickens, and our breathing becomes shallow and fast. Being able to calm down those fiery reactions and impulses is important, especially when they kick in mid-day when you can’t zip out for a workout or even a walk. That’s where deep breathing can help. Anytime you feel those bouts of anger rise, find somewhere you can get a few moments of peace – whether at your desk, in the bathroom, or elsewhere – to breathe deeply. Inhale through your nose while pushing out your stomach to get a full deep breath. Then slowly exhale through your mouth. Do this ten times in a row, and you’ll notice your entire body relaxing into a more calm state.

Seek Help

If you’ve been struggling to control your anger, speaking to a someone about it can be the most beneficial route for you. With a counsellor’s professional guidance and knowledge, they can help you get to the root of your anger and so you can learn how to manage it and become proactive instead of reactive.

We can be that help. Contact us today to learn more about our individual counselling services or to set up a consultation.