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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – It’s quite normal to get angry from time to time, everybody does, but if you find that your anger is hard to control and affecting others around you, you should consider some strategies for getting the upper hand.
Prolonged anger is not only detrimental to your personal relationships; it is also bad for your health. Hostility and aggression can lead to digestive problems, insomnia, headaches and a worsening of disorders such as heart disease.
Excessive anger, also known as Intermittent Explosive Disorder, affects as many as 11.5-16 million adults in the United States. Around 82 percent of these people also suffer from other disorders including alcohol and drug abuse, anxiety, and depression. In spite of this, according to Psychiatry Networks, only 28.8 percent of sufferers ever receive treatment for their anger issues.
Many people rely on pills or alcohol to curb their anger, but this only exacerbates the problem and ultimately leads to addiction. If you are struggling with an addiction, and you could benefit from alcohol treatment, the Clearbook Treatment Centers can help you make a healthy recovery.
Is your anger out of control?
Anger affects everyone differently. Part of managing strong outbursts of aggression is the ability to recognize when your emotions are out of control. Signs include:
● Sudden verbally abusive outbursts.
● Temper tantrums including throwing and breaking things.
● Road rage.
● Domestic abuse.
Tips for Controlling your Anger
● Slow down and count to ten. Taking time out can help you defuse your temper before it gets out of control.
● Get some exercise. Physical activity is a great way to release tension and anger. It also releases chemicals in the brain that will help elevate your mood.
● Consider what triggered your anger and think of ways to solve the problems rather than focusing on the negative aspects.
● Don’t hold a grudge. Try to forgive people’s mistakes rather than holding resentment inside.
● Learn some skills to help you relax, such as progressive relaxation, or simple breathing techniques.
● Seek help if you need to. If you are still unable to control your rage, don’t be afraid to talk to someone who can help. Professional counseling can help you understand anger, recognize your triggers, learn how to react to anger and frustration in a healthy way, and examine the underlying feelings, such as depression or anxiety.
Voice Control
You don’t need to raise your voice to get your point across. If your usual mode of communication involves a raised voice, your lack of control will soon begin to harm your relationships. You will lose the respect of your friends and family. Pay attention to the volume and tone of your voice. Keep your voice at a steady volume, and get your point across calmly.
Body Language
Even when you maintain a calm voice, if your body language is aggressive it will damage your relationships. Avoid using negative facial expressions, such as frowns, snarls, and sneers. Making eye contact is fine, but don’t stare or glare. When you are talking to an individual, don’t invade his or her personal space. Maintain a distance of arms’ length whenever possible so that the other person doesn’t feel crowded. When using hand gestures, keep them small and infrequent. Be sure that they cannot be misunderstood and interpreted as insulting.
Understand your Anger
In order to truly control your anger, you need to understand the cause. It might be that you are holding back a point you need to get across to someone in order to avoid confrontation. If this is the case, you should address issues as they arise so that they don’t have time to escalate and trigger your temper. Perhaps you need to assess your expectations. Are you demanding too much from those around you and becoming frustrated when they can’t meet your expectations? Think about your anger triggers and see how you can eliminate them realistically.
Share your Feelings
Managing anger is not about holding back. What is important is that when you share your opinions, you do so in a non-judgmental manner. Avoid casting judgments and building up a defense in order to justify your anger. Instead of making accusations, express your viewpoint and ask for feedback.
Try to be aware of your tone of voice, body language and the types of gestures that you use. These are all factors that can intimidate your friend, family, and co-workers and affect your relationships. Maintain a level volume, a calm tone and minimize gestures when communicating with individuals around you.
Scott Hewitt works as a therapist and shares his insights and tips for dealing with anger, frustrations, and addiction online through his written articles.
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