Over 12% of people say that they struggle to control their anger. Getting angry is natural and is a part of our life. But letting anger take over you is something that you should be careful about. Controlling anger is easier said than done. But certain practices help in controlling anger. And if you want to know how to control anger, this blog post is ideal for you.
Table of Contents
Breathe
Breathing is an effective technique that people are advised to do when they ask how to control anger. When people are angry or anxious, their breathing tends to become shallow and quick. This is what causes a fight or flight response. Therefore, you should take a deep breath to disrupt the feedback loop in your brain and assist you in calming down. Moreover, there are different types of breathing techniques that you can practice.
Challenging The Thought
A primary reason you become angry or anxious is your irrational thoughts that do not make sense. You unnecessarily think about the worst-case scenario and constantly find yourself in the ‘what if’ loop. Next time when you find yourself amidst such irrational thoughts, you need to ask yourself some questions, including:
- How likely is the scenario to happen?
- Is the thought even rational?
- What is the worst that can come out of this situation?
When you take the time to answer these questions, you will know how to control anger.
Think This Through
The following solution on how to control anger is to have a mantra that works for you. You can choose a mantra that has helped you before. For instance, ‘how important is it?’ ‘Does it affect me?’ ‘Is the situation or person worth losing my peace?’ The mantra you choose should give you a reality check about the individual and situation. It will bring back your rational thought and result in a better outcome.
Try Relaxing Yourself
When you become angry or anxious, every muscle in the body tends to be tense. Therefore, you should practice muscle relaxation techniques that can help in centring and calming yourself. One of the techniques is to lie down with your arm stretched to the side.
Keep your hands relaxed and feet straight, start at the bottom and slowly command your body to release them. Gradually, move upwards, telling yourself the same thing as you cross each part of the body. This will allow the effective release of the tension cooped up in the muscles and helps you relax.
Get Some Fresh Air
The air circulation and temperature in the room can increase anger or anxiety. If you feel tense and the room you are in feels hot, it can lead to a panic attack. So a great way to give yourself a break and know how to control anger is to go out and get some fresh air.
The Bottom Line
We hope that now you know how to control anger effectively. Anger can cause a person to do and believe all sorts of negative things. Therefore, it is essential to control the issue properly.
