Anger management

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Managing Anger

 

What Is Anger?

Anger is a very powerful emotion that can stem from feelings of frustration,

hurt, annoyance or disappointment. It is a normal human emotion that can range

from slight irritation to strong rage.

Anger can be harmful or helpful, depending upon how it is expressed. Knowing how

to recognize and express anger in appropriate ways can help people to reach

goals, handle emergencies and solve problems. However, problems can occur if

people fail to recognize and understand their anger.

What Are the Dangers of Suppressed Anger?

Suppressed anger can be an underlying cause of anxiety and depression. Anger

that is not appropriately expressed can disrupt relationships, affect thinking

and behavior patterns, and create a variety of physical problems. Chronic

(long-term) anger has been linked to health issues such as high blood pressure,

heart problems, headaches, skin disorders and digestive problems. In addition,

anger can be linked to problems such as crime, emotional and physical abuse, and

other violent behavior.

What Steps Can I Take to Help Manage My Anger?

When you start feeling angry, try deep breathing, positive self-talk, or

stopping your angry thoughts. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm. Slowly repeat

a calm word or phrase such as " relax " or " take it easy. " Repeat it to yourself

while breathing deeply until the anger subsides.

 

Although expressing anger is better than keeping it in, anger should be

expressed in an appropriate way. Frequent outbursts of anger are often

counter-productive and cause problems in relationships with others. Anger

outbursts are also stressful to your nervous and cardiovascular systems and can

make health problems worse. Learning how to use assertiveness is the healthy way

to express your feelings, needs and preferences. Being assertive can be used in

place of using anger in these situations.

Seek out the support of others. Talk through your feelings and try to work on

changing your behaviors.

If you have trouble realizing when you are having angry thoughts, keep a log of

when you feel angry.

Try to gain a different perspective by putting yourself in another's place.

 

Learn how to laugh at yourself and see humor in situations.

 

Practice good listening skills. Listening can help improve communication and can

facilitate trusting feelings between people. This trust can help you deal with

potentially hostile emotions.

Learn to assert yourself, expressing your feelings calmly and directly without

becoming defensive, hostile or emotionally charged up. Consult self-help books

on assertiveness or seek help from a professional therapist to learn how to use

assertiveness and anger management skills.

What Else Can I Do to Deal With My Anger in a Healthy Way?

If you believe that your anger is out of control and is having a negative affect

on your life and relationships, seek the help of a mental health professional. A

psychologist or other licensed mental health professional can work with you to

develop techniques for changing your thinking and your behavior. A mental health

professional can help you to deal with your anger in an appropriate way. Choose

your therapist carefully and make sure to seek treatment from a professional who

is trained to teach anger management

8:53 PM 4/6/2009