Healthy Strategies for Anger Management
About eight percent of Americans report having inappropriate, intense, or poorly controlled anger. If this sounds like you, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, but it may be a good idea to try and get your anger under control. Here are a few methods that may help you to manage your anger.
Analyze Your Anger
One of the first steps involves taking a hard look at all the facets of your anger to get a real understanding of it. Only then can you really begin to manage or prevent outbursts. An important avenue to explore is to find what triggers your anger. Is it a specific person or subject? Does your favorite sports team losing put you in a bad mood the rest of the day, or when you’re stressed, or do you find you have a hair trigger and snap at people over small things?
You should also be cognizant of the signs that indicate you’re losing your temper. There are many physical and emotional signs that that let you know when you may be getting angry, so it’s important to find the ones that are true for you. That may be raising your voice, feeling hot, or racing thoughts. By knowing both the potential triggers and signs of your anger, you can begin to find methods to control your temper.
Practice Relaxation and Meditation
Stress is a common trigger for anger, and if it’s one of yours, managing your stress can be a wise preventive measure. Finding a healthy hobby that allows you to unwind or express yourself can help you to regularly relieve stress, as can nurturing valuable friendships. If really struggle with stress and stress-related anger, it also may be a good idea to try meditation. This can help clear away a lot of the noise in your head and help you find calm. It’s also an opportunity to take some time for yourself and shut out the rest of the world. As little as 25 minutes a day has been found to have positive effects.
Reshape Your Thinking
Another way to control your anger and prevent outbursts is to work on reframing your thinking around your triggers. This is called cognitive restructuring. Generally, this is achieved in five steps that identify and evaluate the core thoughts and emotions that cause you distress and, in this case, anger. Then, you can figure out an alternative thought that helps you avoid the distressing or angering thoughts. For example, if you get defensive and this is what causes your angry outbursts, cognitive restructuring would look like this:
- The Situation: I lost my temper when my spouse criticized me for not doing the dishes again.
- The Feeling: This made me feel angry and attacked.
- The Thought: When my spouse criticizes me, they are accusing me of not pulling my weight and ignoring all that I contribute. They’re also treating me like a child and not like a partner.
- Evaluate: Make a list of evidence that supports “The Thought” and evidence that doesn’t.
- Make a Decision: While it frustrates my spouse that I leave dishes in the sink, they do appreciate the other chores I do around the house. They don’t think I don’t pull my own weight or that I’m a child. They just wish I’d wash my dishes instead of leaving them in the sink.
This won’t be an immediate fix for anger and will take practice, but eventually, you’ll find that the triggers that used to get you so angry aren’t as frustrating as they used to be. Whether this strategy only weakens the trigger or removes it entirely, as part of a full anger management strategy, it’s a useful tool.
Control Before It’s Too Late
It’s important to identify the signs of losing your temper and have a calming strategy to maintain your cool. Cognitive restructuring could count as one of these, but it goes beyond that. It may be tough in the middle of a disagreement, but practicing control can mean the difference between a resolution and a full blown argument. The trick is to interrupt your trigger and slow the situation down so you can regain control. Some tricks that may work include:
- Take a deep breath or two before speaking.
- Pause and count backwards from ten.
- Repeat a calming mantra or thought in your head.
- Use “I” or “We” statements to diffuse the situation and focus on results.
- Break the tension with a light-hearted joke.
- Inject positivity into the conversation with kind words. Say “I love you” to your significant other or tell your friend how much you care about them. It’s harder to be mad at someone when you remember you care about them.
- Imagine you’re watching yourself during the conversation. Would you be proud of how you’re acting? Pretend you’re watching yourself for the rest of the conversation and act accordingly.
- When in doubt, leave the situation. You can say you’ll discuss it later or just take a time out from the conversation while you calm down.
Any of these strategies can help you stop an outburst in its tracks.
Get Professional Help
Anger is a natural emotional response to certain situations in life. This is what can make it difficult to control, since you can never fully eradicate anger from your life. Sometimes, we all need help to control our anger, especially if the strategies in this article have already been tried and proved unsuccessful. There is no shame in getting therapy.
While this article can help by giving general tips and strategies, they can only take you so far. Talking to a therapist about the anger you feel can help you discover possible deeper issues causing it and develop strategies to overcome it.
● ● ●
If you’re concerned about controlling your anger, you’ve already taken the first step — identifying the issue. Anger doesn’t have to control your life. With enough perseverance and the right tools, you can certainly get control of your anger!
Featured Blogs
- Learning to Ski
- The Stories Behind Classic Christmas Carols
- 4 More Tips to Make Christmas Tree Hunt Less Stressful
- Why Do We Celebrate That? Other Festive Holidays
- A Senior Guide to Boston
- A Senior Guide to Edinburgh
- How Does Medicare Cover Osteoporosis?
- What are Ulcers?
- Medicare's Coverage of Parkinson's Disease
- What is a Cognitive Screening?
- Spooky Spots for Halloween 2023
- 4 Ways to Keep Trick-or-Treating Safe
- 10 Classic Horror Books for Halloween
- Here's What Medicare Costs in 2024
- 10 Safety Rules for Seniors Who Enjoy Hunting
- Medicareful Living is Changing Its Name — Here's Why
- CMS Releases 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Costs
- Can You Keep Your Medicare Plan Each Year?
- A Senior Guide to Lucerne
- Is Expensive Cookware Worth It?
- The Drug Prices Medicare Can Directly Negotiate
- Does Medicare Ever Cover Cosmetic Surgery?
- A Senior Guide to Barcelona
- How Does COBRA Work with Medicare?
- Different Ways Medicare Can Cover Drug Costs
- Medicareful Living is Changing Its Name — Here's Why
- CMS Releases 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Costs
- Can You Keep Your Medicare Plan Each Year?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Lucerne
- Is Expensive Cookware Worth It?
- The Drug Prices Medicare Can Directly Negotiate
- Does Medicare Ever Cover Cosmetic Surgery?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Barcelona
- How Does COBRA Work with Medicare?
- Different Ways Medicare Can Cover Drug Costs
- All About Enrolling in Social Security
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to the Madrid
- Does Medicare Cover Open-Heart Surgery?
- Exercise Tips for Summer
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Lisbon
- Hosting a Safe Summer Barbecue
- Senior Summer Barbecue Tips
- Does Medicare Cover Biopsies?
- 5 Foods to Avoid if You Have High Blood Pressure
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to the Finger Lakes
- Does Medicare Cover Endoscopies?
- Ways Seniors Can Recover from a Workout
- Is Chocolate Healthy for You?
- Understanding Adult ADHD
- How Does Medicare Cover Hypertension?
- The Symptoms and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
- How to Determine What Temperature to Use When Cooking
- Eating Healthy on a Budget
- Keeping Fit on Vacation
- Is Your Tonsillectomy Covered by Medicare?
- Tips for the Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Kitchen First Aid Tips
- What Does FDA-Approved Mean?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Guide to New York City
- How to Caramelize Onions
- Why Do We Celebrate That? April Fools’ Day
- Medicare and Powers of Attorney
- The Essential Role of Eggs in Cooking
- What are Different Types of Complementary
and Alternative Medicine? - Tips for Remembering to Take Your Medicine
- What is Medicare Part E?
- Building Your Basic At-Home Senior Gym
- How to Make Stovetop Popcorn
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to New Orleans
- How to Navigate & Read Academic Articles
- Phytonutrients: What Plant Color Says About Nutrition
- How to Prevent or Reduce Inflammation
- Osteoporosis: Risk Factors, Signs, and Treatment
- How to Make Homemade Pretzels
- Researching Your Ancestry and Family Tree
- How Medicare and Social Security Work Together
- What is Nordic Walking?
- Food Questions You've Been Embarrassed to Ask
- How Medicare Changed for 2023 and Beyond
- Tips for Using a Microwave
- How to Clean Your Ears Safely
- Skiing as a Healthy Hobby for Seniors
- 3 More Great Places to Celebrate New Year's Eve
- Why Do We Celebrate That? More New Year's Eve Traditions
- Panettone, the Italian Christmas Dessert
- A Simple Homemade Gingerbread Recipe
- How to Make Christmas Decorating Jollier
- The Science of Winter Weight Gain
- Seasonal Picks: 3 Foods You Should Try This Winter
- 5 Tips to Make Getting Your Christmas Tree Stress-Free
- Show-Stopping Potato Side Dishes for Thanksgiving
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Boeuf Bourguignon
- Holiday Travel Tips to Reduce Stress
- Does Medicare Cover Pain Management?
- Is Hunting a Healthy Senior Hobby?
- Ways You Can Get More Politically Involved
- What are Medicare's Lifetime Reserve Days?
- Spooky Spots for Seniors Halloween 2022
- How to Make Soul Cakes for Halloween
- Jack O' Lantern Carving Tips for Halloween
- Easy Ways to Peel a Potato
- 2023 Social Security COLA Largest in Decades
- Exercise Tips for Autumn
- How to Make Candy Apples at Home
- Why are Medicare Insurance Sales Calls Recorded?
- Here's What Medicare Costs in 2023
- CMS Updates Medicare Enrollment Rules for 2023
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to London
- Does Medicare Cover Insomnia Treatment?
- Healthy and Easy Homemade Dog Treats
- The FDA Finalizes Ruling to Increase Access to Hearing Aids
- What the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Means for Medicare
- Tips to Make Flying and Airports Less Stressful
- CMS Projects Lower 2023 Part D Average Costs
- The 15 Golden Rules of Airplane Etiquette
- How Often Should You Shower?
- What are Medicare Pilot Programs?
- How to Care for Your Cast Iron Cookware
- Confronting a Loved One About Hurtful Behavior
- What Does Creditable Coverage Mean for Medicare?
- Using Za'atar in Your Cooking
- Dealing with Canceled Flights
- Protecting Your Vacation from Flight Disruptions
- Do Pre-Existing Conditions Affect Medicare Coverage?
- Which is Better: A Bath or Shower?
- Are Weight Loss Medications Healthy?
- Healthy Strategies for Anger Management
- The Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- The Difference Between Common Cooking Papers and Foils
- What are Medicare I-SNPs?
- Identifying Toxic Relationships in Your Life
- Healthy Ways to Spice Up Your Water
- All About Medicare Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans
- Medicareful Travels: A Senior Guide to All-Inclusive Resorts
- Does Medicare Cover Occupational Therapy?
- Lower 2023 Medicare Part B Premium Could Be on the Way
- Which is Better: Natural or Artificial Sweeteners?
- Tips for Vacationing with Pets
- Is It Better to Work Out Harder or Longer?
- Tips for Traveling with Your Pet
- Are Medicare Part B Giveback Plans Worth It?
- Introducing the Medicareful Living Family Cookbook!
- Medicare Coverage for Treatment of PTSD
- The Causes and Treatments of Nasal Congestion
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Spring Rolls
- Medicare Freezes Late Enrollment Penalties for Qualifying Enrollees
- What is a 5-Star Medicare Plan?
- What is PTSD?
- What is Inflammation?
- What is Medicare's Secondary Payer Program?
- What You Should Know When Buying Cast Iron Cookware
- What Does MACRA Mean for You?
- What to Do If You Receive a Terminal Diagnosis
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Homemade Lobster Ravioli
- Reading and Understanding Your Blood Pressure
- How to Be a Snowbird in Retirement (18 Questions to Ask!)