How to Control Anger
Watch for physiological signs of anger., Take inventory of your emotions., Accept that anger can be a normal, healthy emotion., Watch for signs that your anger is out of control.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Watch for physiological signs of anger.
Anger is certainly a psychological emotion, but it is also physiological, involving chemical reactions in your brain.
When you get angry, your amygdala, the center for emotional processing, sends a distress signal to your hypothalamus, which sends epinephrine along your autonomic nervous system through the path of the sympathetic nervous system to the adrenal glands, which starts pumping epinephrine (adrenaline) throughout your body.
The adrenaline gets your body ready to meet a threat, increasing your heart rate and sharpening your senses.
This process serves a biological purpose (preparing you for fight or flight), but if you have an anger problem, your threshold for what triggers this physiological response may be too low (for example, if you get angry at a coworker for playing music too loudly). , Anger often masks another emotion; many times, anger is a secondary emotion to hurt, sadness, grief, depression, or fear.Anger emerges as almost a defense mechanism because it is easier for many people to deal with than the other emotions.
Think about whether you allow yourself to feel a wide range of emotions or if you may be suppressing emotions that you think you “shouldn’t” feel.
If you commonly substitute anger for other emotions that you find more difficult to deal with, consider seeing a therapist to learn to handle and accept those emotions. , Anger is not always a bad thing.
Anger can serve a healthy purpose by protecting you against continued abuse or wrongdoing.
If you perceive that someone is harming you, you will likely become angry, and that anger will prompt you to confront the person or end the harm in another way.
Some people are taught that it is impolite to feel or express anger.
But suppressing natural feelings of anger can have negative effects on your emotions and your relationships with others. , While anger can be healthy, it can also be unhealthy.
You may need to deal with an anger problem through self-help or professional help if the following are true:
Insignificant occurrences make you very angry, such as spilled milk and accidentally dropping an object.
When you’re angry, you display aggressive behaviors, including yelling, screaming, or hitting.
The problem is chronic; it happens over and over again.
You have an addiction, and when you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your temper gets worse and your behavior more violent. -
Step 2: Take inventory of your emotions.
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Step 3: Accept that anger can be a normal
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Step 4: healthy emotion.
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Step 5: Watch for signs that your anger is out of control.
Detailed Guide
Anger is certainly a psychological emotion, but it is also physiological, involving chemical reactions in your brain.
When you get angry, your amygdala, the center for emotional processing, sends a distress signal to your hypothalamus, which sends epinephrine along your autonomic nervous system through the path of the sympathetic nervous system to the adrenal glands, which starts pumping epinephrine (adrenaline) throughout your body.
The adrenaline gets your body ready to meet a threat, increasing your heart rate and sharpening your senses.
This process serves a biological purpose (preparing you for fight or flight), but if you have an anger problem, your threshold for what triggers this physiological response may be too low (for example, if you get angry at a coworker for playing music too loudly). , Anger often masks another emotion; many times, anger is a secondary emotion to hurt, sadness, grief, depression, or fear.Anger emerges as almost a defense mechanism because it is easier for many people to deal with than the other emotions.
Think about whether you allow yourself to feel a wide range of emotions or if you may be suppressing emotions that you think you “shouldn’t” feel.
If you commonly substitute anger for other emotions that you find more difficult to deal with, consider seeing a therapist to learn to handle and accept those emotions. , Anger is not always a bad thing.
Anger can serve a healthy purpose by protecting you against continued abuse or wrongdoing.
If you perceive that someone is harming you, you will likely become angry, and that anger will prompt you to confront the person or end the harm in another way.
Some people are taught that it is impolite to feel or express anger.
But suppressing natural feelings of anger can have negative effects on your emotions and your relationships with others. , While anger can be healthy, it can also be unhealthy.
You may need to deal with an anger problem through self-help or professional help if the following are true:
Insignificant occurrences make you very angry, such as spilled milk and accidentally dropping an object.
When you’re angry, you display aggressive behaviors, including yelling, screaming, or hitting.
The problem is chronic; it happens over and over again.
You have an addiction, and when you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your temper gets worse and your behavior more violent.
About the Author
Benjamin Cole
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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