How to Cope with Anger

Practice breathing exercises

Breathing exercises have a relaxing effect on the body that helps you control your anger. When you are angry, find a secluded place to perform your breathing exercises. Inhale deeply and slowly for four counts and exhale deeply and slowly for eight counts. Repeat the inhalation and exhalation cycle three or four times or until you are calm. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm instead of from your chest for effective relaxation.

Postpone your response

Whenever you are confronting a situation or a person who is provoking you, it is a good strategy to delay your response to the provocation. This is scientifically called the postponement of affect and can be used as a defense mechanism against emotions such as rage, grief etc. When provoked, instead of acting impulsively you can physically displace yourself from the condition that is provoking you. You can later return back to respond after you regain your ability to think rationally. This calm down strategy works well in how to deal with anger.

Meditate regularly

A team of researchers at Harvard have found that, only eight weeks of meditation can bring positive changes in the areas of the brain responsible for anxiety, stress, empathy, introspection, learning and memory. Research also shows that regular practice of meditation can help you exert better control over your emotions. Meditation can therefore be used as a useful tool for anger management. Incorporating meditation into your daily routine will bring the necessary changes in your brain that will help you control anger.

Do regular physical exercise

Serotonins and endorphins are mood altering chemicals produced by the body that instill a feeling of well-being. Research has found that exercising helps in the release of endorphins and serotonins in our body. Performing routine moderate exercises such as walking or running will help you deal efficiently with anger.

Maintain Restful sleep

As an adult you need 7- 9 hours of restful sleep for your brain and body to rest. A study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, have showed that sleep deprived subjects reported feelings of stress, anger, sadness and mental exhaustion. When they returned to their normal sleeping patterns they reported pronounced improvement in their moods. A good night’s sleep is an easy solution to the question of how to deal with anger? 

Write a gratitude journal

Dr. Robert Emmons is a leading expert who scientifically investigates the effect of gratitude on emotional well being. His studies prove that people show positive changes in their physical, psychological and social conditions within just three weeks of maintaining their gratitude journals. Being grateful for all the good things in your life will keep your anger demons at bay. Writing a gratitude journal will distract you from situations or persons that make you angry. This will help you focus on positive things in your life which will improve your mood. In order to obtain long term benefits, it is important to consistently maintain a gratitude journal.

Listen to music

Research conducted on forensic psychiatric patients, has shown that music therapy leads to positive behavioral changes. In the book ‘Still a Minstrel’ written by Larry Suess, he says that music therapy creates emotional awareness which is essential for managing anger. Music also helps a person to calm down, which helps one in pulling back from the situation that’s making them angry. Whenever you recognize anger aggravating within you, try listening to music that will calm you down. Listening to music can be an effective solution for the problem of how to deal with anger.

Understand the cause of anger

Sometimes having to deal with a problematic issue in your life, can be the cause of your anger. You misdirect this anger towards vulnerable people in your life such as your spouse or children. Understanding the root cause of your anger will create awareness within you and prevent it from aggravating. Communicating about your problem with people in your social network and taking positive steps to solve your problem can prevent your anger episodes.

Plan ahead

There are instances, when you already know that you are going to confront a situation that is going to provoke your anger. In such cases, devise a strategy for confronting the situation without aggravating your temper. If possible try avoiding the situation that is going to provoke you. Listing the situations that make you angry can also help you decide how to confront or avoid them.

Avoid alcohol

Consuming alcohol leads to aggressive and abusive behavior because it lowers your social inhibitions. Under the influence of alcohol you tend to act impulsively, without any control over your emotions. Avoiding alcohol will help control your temper.

Forgive and forget

Letting go of anger by forgiving and forgetting a wrong done to you, will reduce your emotional burden. It will instill a feeling of calm and peace within you and will help you move on with life with an increased sense of freedom.

Embrace humor

You can try dissipating an angry situation by using humor. You can also use humor to distract your mind, so your reaction to the provocation is reduced in its intensity. So a useful tip on “how to deal with anger?” is to infuse more humor into your life.

Get professional help

It is recommended that you approach a psychiatrist: if you cannot control your anger with any of the common anger management techniques, if your anger is leading you to cause physical damage and if your anger is disrupting your performance at the workplace and in your family, seek help.