Everyone has been angry at some point. When you become angry at circumstances or people, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, and your energy level also increases. There are appropriate and inappropriate ways to express your anger. These responses fall into three broad categories.
Expressing Your Anger
The best response when you are angry is to express your anger without being overly assertive. This method is only successful if you clarify what you need and how the person you are addressing can help you meet your needs.
Suppressing Your Anger
Many people try to suppress their anger by holding it inside and then using the energy to do something positive. While this may seem positive and optimistic in some situations, people who hide their anger often talk negatively in their heads about themselves. Therefore, they end up with low self-esteem. It can also cause other problems, such as indirectly trying to get back at someone or leading oneself into a pattern of criticizing everything.
Calming Your Anger
You can also be proactive in anger management. This means you take steps to lower your heart rate and let your angry feelings go naturally. Some people find that doing a particular activity, such as taking a walk-in nature, really helps. Strategies that you may want to try include:
• Breathing deeply
• Slowly repeating a catchphrase, such as relax
• Visualizing a calm environment, such as a beach
• Slow yoga or meditation
• Cognitive restructuring, where you force yourself to find the positive side
• Communicating your needs in a calm manner
What Makes Some People More Prone to Anger
Psychologists now know that some babies are more prone to get upset than others, and babies who get upset more easily tend to grow up to be angry adults. Different cultures and social classes handle anger in different ways. In some cases, how you were raised also has an impact.
If you find yourself frequently getting angry, we are here to help. Let’s work together to find a solution that works for you.
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