Everyone reacts to stressful situations in different ways. However, you may have difficulty regulating your emotions if you often feel angry, frustrated, or irritated at even minor stressors.
Many resources exist to help you learn how to cope with anger. Controlling emotional responses like anger will improve your mental health and overall well-being. The Mindfuli therapy app can connect you with mental health experts specializing in anger management.
Anger Does Not Have to Control You
For most people, anger is a perfectly normal response to certain situations. However, you may have an anger management problem if you often feel enraged or irritated over minor inconveniences.
People who have difficulty predicting what will make them upset or how they will react to specific situations often struggle to contain their anger. Developing coping skills can provide you with essential tools to combat maladaptive anger.
According to MedlinePlus, “Anger management can help you learn healthy ways to express and control your anger.” The most common treatments are behavior and talk therapy.
You can regain control of your emotions by doing the following:
- Learning healthy forms of self-expression
- Reducing stress
- Practicing regular self-care
- Using your support system and mental health resources
- Improving your self-awareness
- Identifying and processing emotions
In most cases, frequent or exaggerated anger is a side effect, not the primary issue. You may have an undiagnosed mental health disorder or other underlying problems affecting your ability to maintain calm when faced with stress. If anger is your first response to most emotionally charged situations, you might benefit from attending online therapy sessions and self-help meetings.
Emotion Regulation and Healthy Coping Skills
Many possible factors can contribute to anger. Negative emotions like fear, anxiety, guilt, or shame often manifest as anger. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Loss of control and predictability or worries about meeting basic needs can all contribute to feelings of anger.” Identifying the possible stress triggers in your life can make it easier to create preventative strategies that help you avoid negative emotions and angry outbursts.
Many people do not feel safe being vulnerable, and anger is often easier to navigate compared to more complex emotions. Stressful moments can bring up all sorts of emotions, and if you do not have the proper tools to regulate or process them, they might turn into anger.
Learning to control your emotions decreases stress and makes it easier to face uncomfortable moments without feeling overwhelmed. Therapy increases self-awareness and ensures you have the necessary tools to cope with everyday situations.
4 Ways to Cope With Anger During Stressful Situations
You can learn to cope effectively with anger during stressful moments by using coping skills and learning to adapt to unexpected situations. Below are four easy ways to decrease anger and improve your emotional control during moments of high stress.
#1. Step Away From the Situation
Stepping away from a charged situation is the most effective way to stop anger in its tracks. If you can, leave the area and go to a neutral location where you can calm down and look at the situation objectively. Time to think and distance from the problem often decreases stress and allows you to think more clearly.
#2. Use Relaxation and Deep Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing and relaxation exercises work by naturally releasing tension from your body. Muscle relaxation lowers emotional stress and can help you feel more grounded in the moment instead of caught up in your emotions. You can do these exercises in almost any setting or situation, making them ideal for coping with moments of stress. Your therapist can also teach you relaxation and deep breathing exercises to keep you focused and calm.
#3. Attend Anger Management Classes or Therapy
Anger management sessions can teach you how to identify, process, and regulate emotions to ensure that you remain in control during stressful situations. Some people resort to anger because they do not know how to identify the emotion they are actually feeling. A therapist or anger management coach can help you learn to identify common emotions and techniques for managing them.
#4. Avoid Possible Triggers to Maintain Control
Maintaining control of your emotions will help you avoid anger as the first response to stressful situations. An excellent way to maintain control is to identify your triggers and find healthy ways to avoid or prevent them. Your therapist can help you learn how to recognize the signs that a situation, person, or thought may trigger high stress.
You Are Not Your Anger
It is important to remember that you are not your anger. The things you do and say when you are angry have consequences. However, they do not define you as a person. You can control your anger with the help of therapy. Every day is an opportunity to avoid repeating past mistakes. The Mindfuli care team can teach you the skills you need to successfully maintain emotional stability.
Anger is a perfectly natural and healthy feeling. However, you might benefit from individual therapy if you often feel overwhelmed and angry. A therapist or counselor can help you discover your anger’s underlying cause and show you how to manage your symptoms. People often use anger to deflect other negative emotions like fear or guilt. The mental health experts on Mindfuli can help you learn healthy ways to overcome anger during stressful situations. To learn more about Mindfuli and our services, call our office today at 866-973-4415. The dedicated care team at Mindfuli can help you progress in your recovery and heal from the side effects of maladaptive anger.
