Your Guide To Getting A Handle On Anger
2015-10-08 17:30:02 CPCC Blogging Team
Basic tips for anger management.
Anger is a natural human emotion. If you regularly experience anger that you feel like you can’t control, though, you could be doing damage to yourself. Regular, intense feelings of anger put stress on your physical body, drain your mental energy, and make it difficult to be your best self in your personal relationships and on the job.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be stuck in the cycle of recurring flashes of anger! Use this guide to set your feet on the path towards managing your anger.
Anger might seem like it comes suddenly, but if you start paying attention you’ll likely find that you have triggers that precede your anger and physical warning signs beforehand. The goal is to slow down and notice your body, notice your thoughts, and notice your feelings around your anger episodes. Do you get stuck in a typical thought cycle before anger erupts? Do you notice your body tense up? If you learn how to anticipate an angry episode, you give yourself the chance to remove yourself from the situation and calm down.
As you observe your patterns, try to identify what's behind your anger. Anger is often the way you best know how to express other emotions you might be feeling, like embarrassment, sadness, or disappointment. If you notice that you have a difficult time expressing your emotions, you could be using anger to vent. By getting to the root of the issue, you’ll be better able to address your true need rather than lashing out in anger.
Finally, find healthier ways to express your emotions and calming exercises that work for you. Learn breathing exercises, count slowly to ten, get active, write letters, or try other tools until you find one that fits!
We hope these tips help you manage your anger, but if you want to really get at the root and dig anger out of your life, contact Community Presbyterian Counseling Center. Our team in San Ramon, California is ready to invest in your process towards an anger-free life. To get support and guidance as you work on this emotional hotspot, call us today!
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