Emotions are an integral part of any person’s life and even after our best efforts, sometimes our emotions get the best of us. Despite knowing that anger and frustration is never the right response method, we can’t help getting angry and frustrated. Although, if we do let our anger consume us, we can end up making mistakes that we regret later on. So, for our own betterment, we need to have some degree of control over our emotions.
Here are 6 amazing and effective techniques that can help you with anger management as well as work through your frustrations. Be sure to try them out the next time you feel angry or frustrated
1. Try Some Breathing Exercises
Taking deep breaths is a very quick and effective anger management technique. Taking deep breaths allows us to slow down our heart rates and decrease the body’s stress response. When we feel angry, the response of our chemical nervous system is quite similar to the fight or flight response. We feel a rush of adrenaline in our body, and extra blood flows to our limbs. In this state, we aren’t able to think logically. Instead, we respond instinctively. Taking deep breaths can lower the heart rate and overall blood pressure, decreasing stress. Taking even three deep breaths can allow us to think more logically and respond to our situations more accordingly.
2. Distance Yourself from the Situation
Everyone sometimes feels a little angry. Traffic frustrations, bullies, unsympathetic co-workers, etc. Our daily life is essentially filled with triggers for our emotions. Getting agitated is normal, but when the anger starts to go overboard and promote hostility and aggression, the situation is problematic. So when you feel anger, you should try to distance yourself from the situation and try not to respond instinctively. This takes away your ability to act irrationally, and you get some time to reflect on the situation and find a solution. It allows you to express yourself without offending anyone and to be in control of your emotions.
Thomas Paine, a famous American philosopher and political theorist, once said,
“the greatest remedy for anger is delay”
So, the next time things get heated up, try going for a walk and reflect upon the problem to help you receive some clarity.
3. Surround Yourself with Trustworthy People
Anger can, at times, be caused by frustration. In the cutthroat world that we live in, not everyone has our best interests in mind. This may lead to a situation in which you might not be able to control your angry outbursts. A great way to prevent this from happening is to avoid such situations altogether.
Surround yourself with people that you love and care for. While it isn’t always possible, try to take out some time to spend with friends and family so you can let your frustrations disappear for a bit. If you keep your frustrations bottled up, you’re bound to burst sooner or later. Vent whenever you feel it necessary, and surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you.
4. Think About Your Goals and Motivations
Everyone has some goals they want to achieve in life. If you start acting emotionally and irrationally under the effect of anger, it is highly unlikely that you will get far. Anger can hinder your decision-making abilities and influence you to make wrong decisions and take regretful actions in the future. So whenever you feel overwhelmed by anger and frustration, think about your goals and objectives, think about the future you want for yourself and your family, and most of all, think logically. This will allow you to understand the consequences of acting irrationally under the effect of anger, and you will be able to avoid such actions.
5. Analyze the Situation Psychologically
Another way to avoid getting angry and frustrated is to learn about human psychology. You should learn how the human body works when someone is angry, and you should learn the basic psychology of humans. If you are able to understand the psychological reasons behind your actions and behaviour, you will be able to respond to your situation without getting angry. Understanding the psychology of anger is a great way to make sure you can avoid anger and stay focused. So, read a couple of books about anger management and the psychology of humans. This will help you a lot in keeping your cool.
6. Express Yourself Calmly
There are many ways to control your anger. One of the most effective ways is changing your posture. This means, in an anger-inducing situation, if you are standing, sit down and if you are sitting, lay down. This is a very effective anger management technique that is found in ancient Muslim teachings. This technique has also been proven scientifically to be effective.
As we have mentioned before the chemistry that happens in the body due to anger is similar to the flight or fight response, and adopting a less aggressive posture or stance can make your body more relaxed. This lowers your heart rate and regulates the blood flow all over the body, allowing you to think more rationally. Drinking a glass of water can also have a similar effect when you are angry.
Finally, it is also very important that you express the reasons you are feeling angry, but only once you have calmed down. Keeping your anger and emotions bottled up is not healthy for you, and it can make you redirect your anger and vent on the wrong people. So, don’t keep your anger bottled up. In an anger-inducing situation, take a seat, take some deep breaths, have a glass of water and then respond. You will feel an amazing decrease in your anger and you will be able to solve the problem instead of escalating it.
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