Individuals who suffer from anger issues encounter various problems because of their inability to manage their temper. Outbursts and loss of temper can damage personal and professional relationships. Uncontrollable anger can manifest in various ways like threatening individuals, saying regrettable things, behaving rashly as well as more serious issues such as incidents of physical violence and stress-related health problems.
 
Even less serious issues controlling anger can negatively impact an individual’s life like wasting time dwelling on upsetting incidents, tending towards negative conversations like venting that may discourage people from engaging the angered party in conversation, and excessive frustration and stress in mundane inconveniences like being stuck in traffic.
 
Anger management does not stop the individual from ever getting angry. Instead, anger management helps patients cope with their behaviors, thoughts, and feelings in a more productive manner.
 
Anger management doesn’t mean individuals need to bottle up their anger either, there are productive and healthy ways to express anger as well. Anger management is an easy-to-learn skill and can even benefit individuals who don’t consider themselves as having an anger problem.

There is a myriad of ways for one to manage and take control of their anger. Here are 7 great places to start:

1. Identifying and avoiding potential triggers as much as possible is a great way to start. While those struggling with anger issues shouldn’t blame them solely on external factors, identifying which situations elicit anger and avoiding them where they can help.

2. Going for a walk or exercising is a productive and healthy area in which to direct the rush of energy that comes with anger and physical activity is shown to reduce stress.

3. Breathing or muscle relaxation techniques also work to decrease stress levels.

4. Talking out the cause of an individual’s anger with a friend in a calm way that doesn’t amount to venting can help keep anger from bottling up.

5. Reframing one’s thinking to avoid exaggerated negative thoughts can help to manage anger. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, accepting the situation as something out of your control can help calm the individual down.

6. Engaging in hobbies or an activity one enjoys can always help with mental wellness, but it can be particularly beneficial in preventing an individual from dwelling on something like a bad day at work and letting the anger and stress grow.

7. A good night’s sleep helps most things and managing anger is no different. If you are constantly tired or having difficulty sleeping, working on rectifying this will improve your overall mood and decrease irritability.

There are three main types of anger. Passive aggression presents without open admission of anger, the angered individual may make subtle snide remarks, sulk, or behave in a generally uncooperative manner. Open aggression occurs when an individual openly lashes out in anger such as through verbal or physical aggression.

Assertive anger is a healthy way to present and handle anger. Assertive anger is about presenting one’s problems in a confident, calm, and controlled fashion. Those practicing assertive anger listen to and cooperate with others in order to solve problems and handle situations while still communicating how they feel emotionally.

The root cause of why some individuals get angry more easily than others varies. Some common reasons include personal problems, trauma, hormonal changes, and some underlying mental health conditions. There are some causes associated with angering easily, but all patients are different.

To truly identify the cause of coming to anger too easily and progressing toward treatment and taking control of your anger, Amcu TelePsych’s comprehensive psychiatric care services are available from the comfort of your own home. We serve patients from Bakersfield CA, Maricopa CA, Shafter CA, Palmdale CA, Los Angeles CA, Santa Barbara CA, Santa Clarita CA, Lancaster CA, Visalia CA and are licensed in California, Texas, Arizona and New York.