Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion.  But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems – problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life.  Anger is an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage.  Like other emotions, it is accompanied by physiological and biological changes; when you get angry, your heart rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of your energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.  Anger can be caused by both external and internal events.

Expressing Anger

The instinctive, natural way to express anger is to respond aggressively.  Anger is a natural, adaptive response to threats; it inspires powerful, often aggressive, feelings and behaviors, which allow us to fight and to defend ourselves when we are attacked.  A certain amount of anger, therefore, is necessary to our survival.

Anger Management

The goal of anger management is to reduce both your emotional feelings and the physiological arousal that anger causes.  You can’t get rid of, or avoid, the things or the people that enrage you, nor can you change them, but you can learn to control your reactions.  Simple relaxation tools, such as deep breathing and relaxing imagery, can help calm down angry feelings.

Some simple steps you can try:

  • Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; breathing from your chest won’t relax you.
  • Picture your breath coming up from your “gut”.
  • Slowly repeat a clam word or phrase such as “relax,” “take it easy.” Repeat it to yourself while breathing deeply.
  • Use imagery; visualize a relaxing experience, from either your memory or your imagination.
  • Non-strenuous, slow yoga-like exercises can relax your muscles and make you feel much calmer.

Practice these techniques daily.  Learn to use them automatically when you’re in a tense situation.  Remind yourself that getting angry is not going to fix anything, that it won’t make you feel better (and may actually make you feel worse).

Do You Need Counseling?

If you feel that your anger is really out of control, if it is having an impact on your relationships and on important parts of your life, you might consider counseling to learn how to handle it better.
A psychologist or other licensed mental health professional can work with you in developing a range of techniques for changing your thinking and your behavior.