Anger is not really a negative emotion. Often, you feel angry when something is wrong and you need people to pay you some attention. This emotion is caused by and hides a deeper, softer emotion. You may feel and express anger if your close friend or sibling makes fun of you in front of others. However, you come up with this expression because you actually feel hurt and betrayed. Betrayal and hurt are the main emotions that are not easy to express so you resort to a defensive posture to inform the other person to keep their distance. Also, you feel angry during situations when you are threatened, depressed, attacked, in pain, or scared.
Leaving your anger unaddressed, especially when you frequently feel it, can result in you disconnecting from other people. Consulting with Littleton Counseling is the first step to take. While your anger can be usually rooted in fear and sadness, you may communicate it in a loud, harsh, or rude way. Anger can have negative effects on different aspects of your life. That is why you should learn to manage your anger by considering the following tips:
Stay Physically Active
Physical activity is essential to release anxiety, stress, and depression which can make your anger worse. If you begin to get disappointed or agitated, perform a physical activity to keep your mind busy. You can go to the gym to work out or just spend time jogging or biking. Even a small amount of physical activity can interrupt the ability of your anger to escalate.
Take a Break
Taking a timeout or a break from your usual routine lets you find space between the cause of your anger and your response. Take advantage of this timeout as a way to challenge and alter your thoughts. Taking a break provides you with the ability to think on potential consequences of your behavior and words in order to challenge your negative thoughts and respond more positively to situations. Also, taking a deep breath can help your brains function more correctly. This has to do with its ability to alleviate rapid heartbeat that can help in managing your anger.
Be Mindful
You can only fight damaging anger when you maintain an awareness of what is happening in your thought-life, surroundings, and body. This allows you to respond with intentionality to situations and things which trigger you. There are many triggers to anger and people feel it differently. Your psychiatrist in Fort Collins will tell you that being mindful can help you understand your triggers and change your perspective in the current time.
Sometimes, you may think that you have resolved things but rage can still linger in different forms such as depression, insomnia, or irritability. Increasing your awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and triggers can help you detect if conflicts are about to happen in the future. Also, this can help you identify when your anger is caused by something deeper which could benefit from speaking with a therapist or professional.
