We all get angry at one point or another so we need coping skills for anger to deal with it. It is human, but anger shouldn’t control our actions, and the worst thing would be to regret your irrational actions while you were angry.
As such, it is wise to hold your temper. A wise man once said – “Keep your temper, because a decision made in anger is never sound.” Which is so true. You must learn how to control your anger, and have some coping skills.
So, if you are prone to constant anger pangs, do not worry, we’ve got you covered. In this review, we tell you about some coping skills for anger that will make it easy for you to deal with your emotions while angry.
Why You Need Coping Skills
Coping skills are behaviors or reactions that you should adopt to help you deal with difficult situations that lead to anger. These strategies are in many different forms, and some are easy, while others are hard to learn.
These coping strategies are important because they help you learn how to deal with anger and triggers. In the end, the goal is to avoid getting angry, because what you do while angry is the problem here.
Coping Skills to Help You
Think Before You Speak
Of course, this is not always easy, but you must learn how to train yourself to “Think first, and then speak later.”
In the heat of the moment, it's easy to say something you'll end up regretting later. The best thing to do is to take a few seconds to collect your thoughts before saying anything.
This allows the other person or people involved in the situation to do the same. Once you are calm you can express your frustrations without confrontation. As a result, you’ll have a mature conversation without any regrets.
Use Humor to Release Tension
Laughter really is the best medicine, and when you use it to distract yourself from anger, it is able to calm you down and control your actions.
It also helps you face what's infuriating you. Humor isn’t sarcasm though so you need to be careful as being sarcastic can hurt feelings and make things worse.
Identify Your Triggers
If you’ve noticed that you are losing your temper regularly, then you need to take stock of the things that easily trigger your anger. Is it long lines, heavy traffic, snarky comments, or excessive tiredness?
Whatever it is you just need to figure it out. The point is you shouldn't blame people or external circumstances for triggering your anger.
And being aware of these things can help you plan accordingly and always anticipate when you are about to lose your cool. For example, if traffic infuriates you maybe you can leave early for work.
If a certain client gets on your nerve at work you can smile at them before they speak to you, this destabilizes their ability to be nasty towards you. See you are making progress!
Walk Away From Potentially Aggressive Situations
Sometimes walking away is not a sign of weakness. The best thing you can do when your anger is rising is to walk away from the situation before it is too late.
The conversation is getting heated? Take a break. Why don’t you leave the meeting if you feel you’re going to explode? Go for a walk if your spouse upsets you. Time-out is the key to calming your brain and your body.
Make the other party aware of your reasons for stepping out. Let them understand otherwise they’ll mistake it for neglect or rudeness.
Ensure once you calm down you resolve the issue. Set up a time to discuss the subject with the other party. Also, if you are on the receiving end with an emotionally abusive partner, it is best to leave rather than to talk it out.
Learn to Relax
Have you heard of relaxation exercises? It could be breathing exercises or muscle relaxation. You’ll have to find the one that best works for you. Both of these sets of exercises can be performed quickly and discreetly.
At first, you might not feel their effectiveness the truth is they require practice to be effectively done. Try them; these could be your best option with time.
Conclusion
So there you have 5 simple ways to avoid getting angry and having to live with consequences. Statistics show that on average 22% of people get angry in the US at least 5 times a day.
This number is quite high in a society where access to firearms is quite easy, road rage is a daily thing and many more anger-related cases you know of.
