How anger affects your life
The impact of anger in your life is determined by your ability to control it. If you frequently become angry and react impulsively, yelling at those close to you or coworkers, anger may be negatively affecting your relationships and overall well-being.
If you can manage to pause and breathe deeply, gather yourself, and express your feelings, experiencing anger will enhance your emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
When your anger is triggered, your body responds by flooding with cortisol and adrenaline. This stress response not only prepares you for conflict but can also have negative effects on your physical health, as anger is a stress response.
Anger impacts various aspects of your life, as it prompts the release of stress hormones in your body, leading to elevated blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and similar health issues.
Your health and wellness
- It leads to cardiovascular issues like coronary heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes
- Encourages you to adopt unhealthy habits and addictions like excessive alcohol consumption and substance abuse
- Causes high blood pressure and heart rate
- Increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Your personal life
- It can act as a red flag for others who wish to avoid your low emotional regulation
- Lowers your self-esteem and sense of self-worth
- Ruins relationships with family members, children, and friends
- Makes people afraid or nervous in your presence
- Creates negative thought cycles
Your workplace
- Makes it difficult to work collaboratively with others
- Distracts you from your work
- Poorly impacts your work performance
- Creates a toxic work environment
In addition to the negative attributes, anger also has some positive benefits. When appropriate, anger can serve as “beneficial stress” and provide the following advantages:
- Motivating you to meet a deadline or show your worth
- Prompting reflection on boundaries and behaviors
- Increasing self-awareness
- Helping you identify your values
How anger management is helpful
It is possible for uncontrolled anger to have a detrimental impact on your physical, social, and mental well-being. The process of learning anger management does not eliminate feelings of anger, but rather provides you with the ability to effectively navigate and minimize the negative consequences associated with this emotion.
Four ways anger management skills benefit you include exercising or calming yourself to channel negative energy, which helps mitigate the consequences of unchecked anger.
- Helps to identify the source of your anger: Anger management makes you reflect on where your anger comes from. It strengthens your self-awareness and gives you insight into some of your anger’s warning signs. For example, does your anger come from different types of stress, work, or miscommunications at home?
- Aims to control your feelings, not suppress them: Suppressing anger may cause it to manifest in physical symptoms or behavioral effects like increased irritability, reduced empathy, and an even shorter temper.
Even if it feels bad, learning to sit with your feelings is important for improving your emotional regulation skills. If you can let yourself feel your anger, you’ll be better able to pinpoint what triggered the negative reaction. From there, you can express your emotions in a healthy way instead of reacting in the heat of the moment. - Improves your relationships: When you know how to control your anger and express it properly, you’ll notice the positive impact on your relationships. You’ll see that problem-solving with others is smoother, and you’re better at communicating your thoughts and feelings.
- Helps you live in the present: You could feel angry or resentful toward something that happened in your past or anxious about something you’ll have to do in the future. But anger management skills help you slow down to focus on the here and now. You’ll let go of past and future worries to focus on the present.
Anger management strategies
Learning how to calm down when angry is difficult, but instead of allowing your emotions to overflow or dwelling on your anger, acquiring anger management skills can enable you to channel the feeling into a constructive outcome.
Next time you experience anger, here are some tips for anger management that you can consider trying.
1. Think before the words come out
If you carefully consider your words before speaking, it will assist you in handling conflict in a positive and considerate manner. Have you ever contemplated the consequences of speaking the initial thoughts that come to your mind? Imagine how you would feel if someone directed those words towards you. By considering the other person’s emotions, the impact on your relationship, and how you can work towards progress, you can avoid blowing minor issues out of proportion.
2. Step away from the action
If your anger is getting out of control or you require time to reflect in solitude, contemplate walking away. There are instances when certain situations become excessively burdensome to decelerate, necessitating a momentary withdrawal.
There is no problem with that. Utilize this moment to practice deep breathing, assess your emotions, and consider your next action. This does not imply that you should avoid confronting what angers you, but pausing momentarily will provide you with a clearer perspective once your anger diminishes.
3. Recognize the warning signs
If you are able to identify the moments when your anger begins to surface, it will put you in a advantageous position where you can attempt utilizing our suggestions before your anger escalates or you behave impulsively. After recognizing these warning signs, you can proceed to employ some of the tactics mentioned below.
- pounding heart
- gritting your teeth
- sweating
- tight chest
- shaking
- feeling anxious
- raising your voice
- being snappy or defensive
- temporarily losing your sense of humor
- pacing
- getting a ‘flash’ of a bad mood
- being overly critical of someone
- feeling argumentative
One way to potentially lessen the intensity of your anger is by acknowledging and naming the emotions you are experiencing. By saying phrases such as “I am presently angry” or “I am sensing frustration and annoyance,” you can take the initial step towards comprehending and resolving your feelings of anger.
4. Work out why you’re angry
There are numerous factors that may cause anger to arise. It is deemed as a normal or reasonable reaction in specific circumstances, like instances where you or another person encounters unfair treatment. However, if you are unsure about the cause of your recent outburst towards someone, reflect on your day and attempt to identify the triggering incident.
There are a few other reasons that could explain why you are feeling angry.
- you’re under a lot of pressure
- you’re experiencing bodily or hormonal changes that cause mood swings
- you’re frustrated with how your life is going
If you first acknowledge and then address your anger, it will not severely impact your relationships, physique, mental state, and emotions.
5. Write it down
One helpful strategy for understanding and managing anger is to write down your thoughts. By drafting a letter to someone, you can explore the reasons behind your anger, analyze your reactions to the situation, and plan how to address your emotions. However, it is essential to take a break and review your letter before sending it.
By following this method, you can express your emotions and gain a different viewpoint by reviewing your written words. It is possible that writing the letter may resolve your feelings, or it might assist you in finding suitable words for a conversation.
6. Count to 100
This strategy may appear simple, yet it is highly effective for managing anger. Devoting 100 seconds to thinking about something unrelated to the cause of frustration can prevent an outburst. It affords an opportunity to compose oneself and reflect before taking further actions.
7. Press pause
When you experience anger towards something, it becomes extremely challenging to handle the situation in a constructive or beneficial manner. If you sense yourself becoming agitated, simply remove yourself from the situation temporarily. You will handle it more effectively when everyone, including yourself, is in a state of tranquility.
8. Move your body
Exercise is an incredible method to release tension. You have the option to go for a walk around the block, engage in a jog, or participate in a high-energy activity such as boxing.
9. Talk to someone
Having a conversation with someone you trust about your emotions can relieve both mental and emotional burdens. This person could be an adult, friend, or family member whom you trust. Additionally, you have the option of joining ReachOut’s Online Community where you can communicate with other individuals your age who understand and can provide valuable insights on managing anger.
If you are finding it difficult to control your anger or if you believe that you or someone you know may have a personality disorder, it would be advisable to seek assistance from a mental health professional. Take a look at our video to discover the reasons behind the effectiveness of communication.
10. Take time to relax
If you are familiar with activities that help you relax, implementing them when you’re angry can be highly beneficial. Allocate some moments to engage in activities that bring you pleasure, such as:
- going for a walk in the park
- reading a book
- trying some meditation
- listening to music
- relaxation apps like Smiling Mind
11. Inject some humor into the situation
In certain situations, it is beneficial to find humor. Laughing can alleviate stress and provide a fresh viewpoint. For example, if you accidentally spill your drink on yourself, instead of becoming angry, try to adopt a positive attitude and find amusement in your mistake.
When considering using this technique, it is important to be cautious. Certain situations may not call for laughter or jokes as they may be deemed inappropriate or disrespectful. It is advisable to assess the environment and determine if making a joke is the most suitable choice at that particular time.
12. Seek professional help
If you find yourself unable to handle your anger, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Seeking assistance from a mental health professional could be beneficial in managing your emotions.
By thinking in a logical sequence, you will find that a therapist can provide useful suggestions for determining the most effective strategies for you. It is possible that you will uncover a connection between your anger problems and other mental health issues or acquire beneficial coping techniques with the assistance of a therapist.
