10 Ways to Get Rid of Anger Issues

Anger is a typical emotion, but experiencing frequent or intense bouts of anger and negative behavior is stressful, frustrating and harms your quality of life. Anger affects the relationships you have and your daily life. If left unchecked, it can destroy what you're working to achieve. Various methods of anger control exist, but you should experiment to see what works for you.

Relaxation and Breathing

• Relaxation and breathing help ease anger problems, according to the American Psychological Association. Deep breathing is effective if you breathe all the way in and exhale slowly, but shallow or rapid breathing don't work as well.

  Keep a calming mental image or picture in your mind when you're tense or beginning to get mad to head off the negative emotions and dispel the anger quickly. The image should be something you associate relaxing or pleasant feelings with, such as a favorite memory.

Exercising and Leaving

• Both mild and strenuous exercise help with anger issues. What type of exercise is most appropriate depends on your personality. Some people find that light physical activity, such as yoga, curbs angry feelings, while others prefer fast-paced exercise, such as running or jogging. Experiment with both forms to see what works for you.

  Walking away from an aggravating or stressful situation is occasionally the quickest way to defuse your temper. You still must address the situation once you are calmer, but a temporary break helps you keep your emotions in check.

Changing Thought Patterns and Words

• The way you think contributes to your anger. Pay attention to how irrational and melodramatic your thoughts may get when you're angry and try to rationalize with yourself. Focusing on your thought patterns and preventing yourself from slipping into illogical and negative thinking can head off an angry outburst.

  The very words you use or think when you're getting angry can make the feelings worse. Negative or "exaggeration" words, such as "never," set the tone of your thoughts and make things worse. Avoid negative or exaggerated phrasing to keep yourself calmer.

Finding a Solution and an Outlet

• Situations that make you angry are often tied to an immediate or persistent problem in your life. Focus on both finding a solution and dealing with the problem in a calm and rational way. Not all problems have a solution, but you can control how you react while trying to decide what you should do.

  A positive, nonviolent outlet for your anger can help curb your temper. Keeping angry feelings "bottled up" isn't healthy and can lead to an outburst later. Sometimes talking to a sympathetic friend or family member or the person who is causing your anger helps, but only do so when you're calm enough to handle a conversation without yelling or blaming another person.

Laughing and Getting Help

• Laughter eases stress, tension and helps you keep your cool. Watching a funny movie, stand-up comedy or reading a humorous book helps with anger issues. A well-timed joke in a stressful situation can prevent escalating emotions for all those involved, but choose your words carefully to avoid hurting someone's feelings and making matters worse.

  Sometimes anger-deflation techniques aren't enough, such as if you feel angry all the time or are prone to violence. Talk to a licensed medical professional, such as a counselor, if you feel you cannot control your anger and may hurt someone else.