How to Control Anger

Anger is an emotion of various intensity and usefulness. Often, anger causes the individual to make poor choices or say things they will regret. But controlling anger is often not as easy as the textbooks would like to make it. Depending on the level of the emotion, below are a few suggestions on how to control anger.

Instructions

• 1

  Walk away from any situation that causes you to feel or want to express anger whether emotionally or physically. Avoiding the angry situation is the best way to avoid anger but often this option isn't available or healthy.

• 2

  Punch something that is not living and will cause no harm to yourself or others. A punching bag, a bed pillow, a cushion or a mattress all make great targets for relieving anger. It may seem like an inadequate solution at the time, but after a few punches and screams at an inanimate object, you will get tired. Hopefully, tired enough to calm down a little.

• 3

  Watch a funny movie or television sitcom. Laughing really is the best medicine and although when you sit down and turn on the box, you may not feel in the mood for watching anything funny, it should soon get a giggle out of you and relieve some of your built up tension. Keep a DVD of your favorite comedian on hand for such an occasion.

• 4

  Focus your anger in a creative way to give it purpose and meaning. Emotionally motivated artwork can give you new insight on your inner self. Studying a painting you created in an angry moment may give you the visual resource necessary to recognize the degree of your anger and how to control it.

• 5

  Write down all angry thoughts, read them over until they no longer make you angry and throw them away. Some people choose to rip the paper into pieces or burn it for a more dramatic effect. Do whatever works best for you.

• 6

  Rationalize and dissect your anger to take away its power. Keep asking yourself over and over "why am I angry?" Understanding and analyzing anger is the key to controlling it.

• 7

  Allow yourself to be angry if no other emotions or action will do. Sometimes we get angry as a defense or because we don't know how else to express ourselves. You are allowed to feel anger, it just learning to control it that's the hard part.