Anger Management Techniques for People With a Mental Handicap

Adults who are bipolar, suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, have ADD or ADHD, and other mental handicaps, are very susceptible to mood swings and sometimes have highly exaggerated reactions to certain situations. Often, one of these reactions is anger or even rage. There are several methods a person can use to lessen, divert, or dispel his emotional outbursts.

Proactive Anger Management

• The best method is prevention. If someone feels anger coming on during a confrontation, the best thing for him to do is to remove himself from the situation and take the time to breathe deeply and count to 10.

  Another option is to engage in some kind of physical release until the anger passes. This might include: running, boxing a punching bag, or weightlifting.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

• When a person is in the middle of a full-blown outburst, the first thing she needs to do is calm down. One method to do this is the use of diaphragmatic breathing--deep abdominal breathing that is very effective in reducing stress. It assists in calming anxiety by balancing your intake of oxygen and carbon dioxide to help you relax and clear your mind.

Affirmations

• Another way to dispel anger would be through the use of powerful affirmations such as: "I am calm, I am peaceful, nothing can upset me." Repeating affirmations constantly can also be used as a preventative measure.

Journaling

• Recording feelings in a journal can assist in dissipating anger. It is a tool that will help someone with anger issues monitor how long he can go without getting angry. It also allows him to look back to see what provoked the outbursts and figure out how similar situations can be avoided.

Prevention

• One of the best ways for someone to control her emotions is to remove the triggers that activate the anger. Some very simple tips in this regard would be to reduce noise and outside disruptions, engage in healthier eating habits, and get plenty of rest.