10 ways to deal with anger: Expert shares tips

Anger is a healthy human emotion. But when it gets out of control, it can cause problems. Anger also causes a lot of physiological and biological changes – the heart rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Anger can be triggered by anything and anyone or any situation. Sometimes problems in personal life can trigger anger too. Speaking to HT Lifestyle, Mitesh Thakkar, Psychologist said, “The three main approaches are expressing, suppressing, and calming. Expressing your angry feelings in an assertive—not aggressive—manner is the healthiest way to express anger. To do this, you have to learn how to make clear what your needs are, and how to get them met, without hurting others. Being assertive doesn’t mean being pushy or demanding; it means being respectful of yourself and others.”

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Mitesh Thakkar further shared 10 ways to deal with anger in a healthy way. They are as follows:

Think before you speak: It is recommended to take a break, reevaluate the situation, consider others involved and then speak. When we are angry, we seem to speak of things which makes us regret later.

Once you’re calm, express your anger: After feeling calm, express your emotions in a non-confrontational way and address the concerns that you are facing.

Exercise: Physical activity helps in reducing stress and relaxing the muscles. When angry, it is recommended to go for a walk or do physical exercise for some time in order to feel better.

Take a timeout: Take a break in the middle of the day when things start to get stressful. This helps in recharging the mind and the body to deal with the stress.

Identify possible solutions: Speak to yourself about anger not being a solution. Contemplate of possible solutions for things and situations that make you angry.

Stick with ‘I’ statements: Express the concern you are facing and how it is affecting you instead of complaining about the actions of another person.

Don’t hold grudge: Holding grudge against someone else only make us feel bitter. It is better to forgive others and let go of the anger.

Use humour to release tension: Lightening the situation with humour can help in diffusing the tension. It can also make us feel better eventually.

Practice relaxation skills: Deep breathing exercises or talking to ourselves and reassuring that the situation can get better are some of the ways of relaxing the mind and reducing anger.

Know when to seek help: Controlling anger can be a challenge as well – it is okay to seek expert help in learning how to deal with it.