10 Tips on Anger Management

When you are angry, just count - "1 funny clown, 2 funny pigs, 3 funny bananas, 4 funny red nose bosses, 5 funny short uncles"... etc. The human brain works better with pictures and thus, when you say something funny, you will tend to imagine it in your mind. This will help you forget about the issue that was making you angry.

Yelling at friends or family members and slamming doors doesn't solve any problem and most of the times such a behavior escalate angry situations between people. But if you feel like venting out, find a safe spot where you can yell, cry or shout and relieve the majority of your stress. A terrace, for example, is a safe place.

Had a bad day at work and is that making you angry? Don't think about it when you return home. Just spend some time with yourself, pamper yourself, get a body massage done, shop for yourself or just have your favourite food for dinner. All this will make you feel good about yourself and life.

Physical activity makes your brain release endorphins (the “Feel Good” hormone), which would give you a sense of well being. Make yoga and meditation a part of your daily regimen. This will give you the strength to ignore and fight your own anger.

Deep breathing and repeating the phrases like ‘calm down' or ‘take it easy' can help you relax and slow down the anger. Taking a few deep breaths also calms you, makes you feel stronger both mentally and physically.

When you are angry it is easy to curse the target person. But take a second and think before you blow up your anger. It's easier to think when you are calm than when you are agitated. Leave the room and then come back to the problem, examine it and solve it.

Keep a book for recording the episodes of your anger burst outs. Find out the patterns and triggers that lead you to feel angry. Once you identify the problem, you can then find a solution and also avoid such situations in future.

Remember a funny situation you have experienced. This will calm your mind. Don't use sarcasm though; it will just make matters worse if the others feel that you are mocking them when you tell them about the funny incident.

Learning skills to relax and de-stress can also help control your temper when it may flare up. Practice deep-breathing exercises, visualise a relaxing scene, or repeat a calming word or phrase to yourself. Other proven ways to ease anger include listening to music, penning down your feelings or taking a short nap.

If you feel you are unable to manage your anger and this is ruining your relationships with others, it is best to take help from a counsellor. A counsellor can be your friend, your parents or anybody you trust. Professional help from a psychologist is advisable if you feel nothing else is working out and your anger is turning destructive.