When someone cuts you off in traffic, do you become angry? When your kid refuses to comply, does your blood pressure spike? It's normal and even good to feel angry. But it's crucial to approach it in a constructive manner. Uncontrolled rage may harm your relationships and your health.
Are you ready to regulate your anger? Start by taking into account these 10 anger control suggestions.
1. Be thoughtful before you talk
It's simple to say something you'll later regret when you're under the influence of emotion. Before you speak, take a minute to gather your thoughts. Permit those who are engaged in the issue to do the same as well.
2. When you're at ease, voice your worries.
When you're able to speak clearly, be forceful yet non-aggressive when you vent your dissatisfaction. Clearly and simply express your demands and concerns without inflicting harm or attempting to exert control over others.
3. Take a workout.
Exercise may aid in reducing stress, which can make you furious. If you see that your wrath is growing, take a quick stroll or run. Or spend some time engaging in some other fun physical activity.
4. Take a break.
Not just are timeouts for children. During difficult moments of the day, allow yourself brief pauses. You could feel more equipped to manage what is ahead without becoming upset or furious if you have a few quiet minutes to yourself.
Find out what triggers you.
Stressful situations do not justify rage, but knowing how they impact you may help you take charge of your surroundings and prevent unnecessarily escalating tension. Look at your daily schedule and attempt to pinpoint the activities, moments of the day, people, locations, or circumstances that make you feel irritated or furious.
Maybe every time you go out for drinks with a certain set of pals, a fight breaks out. You can also be irritated by the traffic on your everyday commute. Once you've determined what sets off your triggers, consider strategies to either avoid them or approach the events in a different manner so that they don't make you irate.
negative mental habits that might make you angry
You could believe that other people's inconsiderate behavior or difficult circumstances, for example, are the root of your rage. However, rage issues are more a function of how you perceive and process what has happened than of what has really occurred.
Typical negative thought patterns that set off and feed rage include the following:
Overgeneralizing. "You ALWAYS interrupt me," for instance. You ALWAYS disregard my requirements. EVERYONE treats me poorly. I almost never get the credit I deserve.
a preoccupation with "shoulds" and "musts." rigidly assuming how something should or has to happen, then becoming irate when reality doesn't match this image.
Psychic reading and making assumptions. assuming you "know" what someone else is thinking or feeling, or that they disregarded your requests or angered you on purpose. flagle
assembling straws. searching for reasons to be angry, frequently ignoring or sweeping everything pleasant under the rug. allowing these tiny irritants to fester until you reach the "last straw" and lose it, often over something pretty insignificant.
Blaming. Every time anything awful occurs or something goes wrong, someone else is to blame. Instead of accepting responsibility for your own life, you tell yourself "life's not fair" or place the blame for your troubles on other people.