Anger is a natural human emotion, but losing your temper isn't cool. If you feel the burn of road rage when someone cuts you off in traffic, or if your blood pressure shoots up when your kids won't mind, you may benefit from anger management exercises. Taking steps to recognize and control your anger can result in healthier, happier family relationships.
Recognition
According to Jessalyn Woodruff, author of the "Anger Management Course and Training," learning to recognize the signs of rising anger is the first step. These include, increased heart rate, muscle tension and elevated blood pressure. Your kidneys may produce excess adrenaline, making you feel agitated and jittery. By remembering how you felt, physically and emotionally, the last time you got angry, you can learn to recognize the danger signs and avert a future outburst.
Responsibility
Once you can recognize the signs of rising anger, you can take steps to control your actions. Realize that anger is not an automatic or instinctive reaction. Others are not responsible for your anger, says Woodruff. Take control of your anger by realizing that you make choices when you get mad, and that your anger is a result of your own thinking.
Anger Control Tips
MayoClinic.com recommends taking control of your anger by giving yourself a timeout. Count slowly to 10 and take a few deep breaths. Communicate your feelings to others once your anger subsides in a calm manner. Choose your words carefully when you're mad, and focus on a solution to the problem instead of dwelling on the problem, itself. For long-term anger control, take up a physical exercise, such as running or shooting baskets, to funnel excess energy in a positive way.
Learning Environment
According to AtHealth.com, you may be more successful in mastering anger management skills if you're in an environment that makes you feel safe, and if you have at least some control in the process. Support and encouragement from family and friends can help you relax and stay committed to change.
Healthy Anger Expression
Communicate your displeasure with others using the words, "I feel," recommends Woodruff, and avoid using judgmental terms such as "You did" or "You are." Avoid blaming others or criticizing. Be tactful and discuss ways to prevent a recurrence of the anger-producing situation. Resolve to "let it go" and not carry a grudge and remember that you are not a prisoner of your anger. You have a choice about how you react.
References
- "Anger Management Course and Training"; Jessalyn Woodruff, 2008
- At Health: Anger Management: Counselors Strategies and Skills
- MayoClinic.com: Anger Management Tips: 10 Ways to Tame Your Temper
