Anger is the intense emotion that comes when we feel like our boundaries are overstepped. Anger may come in small heaps of irritability or waves of rage and fury. It’s completely human to be angry. Looking into our evolutionary past, anger helps people protect themselves from threats and survive by destroying others. Nowadays, such behaviors cannot be easily justified because of laws and norms that uphold peace. Thus, letting anger control you lead to negative consequences such as:
- Destruction of property
- Physical assault
- Irreparable relationships
- Domestic violence
- Injury to self
You need to adopt healthier ways to deal with your anger to avoid these problems. Angry feelings can be expressed through assertiveness and civil confrontation without the intent of harming another person. To do so, you need a clear head space and a preference for problem-solving. You must communicate your demands and actively find a middle ground with the other party. Simply put, rationality must prevail.
Irritants are not always people. It could be situations, even your thoughts. There might be triggers which you find infuriating but have no way of putting out or minimizing. It may be a long line in the cafeteria, traffic on your way to work, your constant worrying or a sudden passing of a loved one. Unlike interpersonal disputes, you can’t negotiate your way out from these. You need to control and manage your emotions to avoid the consequences of suppressed anger such as heightened heart rates and blood pressure, immense hostility, and cynicism.
How Can Anger Management Help?
Anger management is a series of strategies tailored to realign an individual’s aggressive tendencies. Some people blow triggers out of proportion, causing them to pose threats to others. Anger management helps in keeping aggression at bay and encourages a calm approach to life’s unending stream of irritants.
Techniques include:
- Breathing exercises and relaxation
- Avoidance of conflict and other provocations
- Talking yourself down and restructuring your mindset
- Problem-solving and finding better alternatives
- Changing aspects of your environment that displeases you
- Using imagery to escape the threatening circumstance
Benefits of Anger Management Training
Anger management training helps melt your anger into logic. In the workplace, you can veer away from misunderstandings and nuisances that can potentially interfere with your productivity. With more controlled emotions, you can expect yourself to be more empathetic towards other people as you stop to understand their side of the fence instead of jumping to conclusions. Other benefits of anger management training are…
- Better stress management
- Advanced sense of accountability
- Non-aggressive expression of anger
- Improved interpersonal relationships
- A calmer state of mind
No one knows you better than yourself, so if you often yourself in complicated situations due to your uncontrollable anger, then it’s time you seek for help. Anger management is a process only you can dictate the course of. It’s best to work with a mental health training provider who is patient and qualified to guide you in every step of the way.
If you have questions, feel free to contact us at 07 5499 2406.
