Anger can lead to some pretty embarrassing situations and get us into trouble at work and home. Chances are, if you’re seeking anger management strategies, something’s happened recently due to problematic anger. It might feel alienating, embarrassing, and confusing to realize you’re struggling to manage your own anger. However, you’re not alone. Millions of other regular people, like you and I, struggle with excessive angry reactions.
In 2008, a non-profit organization in the UK performed scientific studies on problematic stress and anger management strategies. Some of the key findings by the British Association of Anger Management include:
- 1/3 of the population had a close friend or relative with problematic anger
- Over 1/10th of Brits admit to struggling with anger personally
- 25% have worried about the severity of their anger at some point
- 1/5 people have had to end relationships due to excessive anger
- 64% of those polled said they think the world is getting angrier in general
- Only 1 out of every 7 people with known anger problems will ever seek treatment
- 45% of Brits regularly lose their temper at work
- UK airlines reported nearly 1,500 separate violent incidents related to anger
Even though you might feel like an alien because of your anger management problems, the data says you’re not alone. In fact, you have quite a bit of company, and there are many people out there who can relate.
Why should I even bother with anger management strategies?
When we allow problematic anger to fester without treatment, we’re putting our physical, mental, and social well-being at risk.
- People with aggressive personalities are 33% more likely to develop heart disease than the general population.
- Those with anger problems smoke and drink more.
- They are also 2.7 times more likely to experience a heart attack.
- Men with the tendency to bottle up emotions and then randomly explode are more likely to suffer from sa troke.
- Women with higher anger than average also have elevated cholesterol levels.
By developing our anger management strategies we can give our bodies a break from the stress of fighting and raging. By managing our anger, we can improve our health inside and out.
Let’s get down to it and discuss the 8 best anger management strategies.
The 8 Best Anger Management Strategies
1. Pause to think before speaking.
“Think before you speak,” I still remember my mom and dad telling me this as a kid. This little piece of advice is handed down from generation to generation for a good reason, it work.
Pausing to think before saying something tends to work out better than just blurting out any old thing. You’re less likely to escalate the situation impulsively, and you might be able to prevent yourself from hurting someone’s feeling. Make a conscious effort to take a second to pause before speaking if you find yourself arguing back and forth with someone.
2. Wait until you’ve calmed down to discuss a subject that makes you angry.
Just like tip number 1, tip 2 is about taking time to calm down. Sometimes a brief 2-3 second pause mid-conversation isn’t enough. If your anger is just building up too high, remove yourself from the situation and take a long enough break to calm back down. Only return to the conversation once you feel in control again.
3. Work out, pump some iron!
The more stressed out we are, the more prone we are to angry outbursts. If we’d like to keep those outbursts to a minimum, it makes sense to try to keep stress to a minimum too. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to burn off all of that anxious energy and get some of our aggression out physically. Once you start working out, you’ll notice that you’re more relaxed, sleeping better, and feeling calmer in general.
4. Schedule yourself a daily “time out.”
Long days, never-ending work, hours with no alone time… These things can get us agitated to the point of an angry outburst at the slightest provocation. Knowing that certain days trigger anger, prepare ahead of time by scheduling a mid-day break. Clear 15 minutes of your schedule to just be alone, breathe, and do something quiet and relaxing to calm your nerves.
5. Shift your focus from blaming to problem-solving.
Sometimes, when a problem arises, we spend too much time blaming others and just getting angrier. If you notice this happening, try to actively switch your focus to problem-solving. Move onto the next step you can take to fix the problem.
6. Laugh it off!
Seeking the humor in an upsetting situation can help us move on from the anger. Laughing releases tension and can change the tone of the conflict. Perhaps after a few laughs, you and your adversary won’t feel so angry.
7. Develop a relaxation ritual.
Like exercise, a daily relaxing ritual can help keep your stress levels down which would then keep your anger down too. Meditation, yoga, warm baths, reading, painting, gardening… All sorts of activities can work as your daily ritual.
8. Seek help if things have gotten out of hand
If these anger management strategies aren’t enough to get your life back in order, it might be time to get help. Here at Breathe Life Healing Centers we can help you reach your goals, contact us today.
