Learning to Control Anger - 3 Methods

Controlling anger is not just a matter of practicing the methods which are being taught. Knowing is very different from acting. And we all know that when talking about anger, how you act will determine the outcome. So you want to learn to control anger? There are various ways that you can go about it. For some all it takes is a simple technique that they can use, while others require more.

Imagine that your anger is a big untrained dog. Since your dog is still untrained it still somewhat does not recognize you as it master. Meaning you will need to train him/her in order to establish yourself as owner. Now let’s say you will be taking your dog to the park, which means it will be meeting other dogs as well as people along the way, so in order to keep your dog under control you will need to put it on a leash.

Now it does not matter whatever the color, thickness, design, or length of the leash is, what matters is that it will hold your dog, allow you to direct it where you want it to go, and prevent it from causing trouble in the process. Un-managed anger is like a dog without a leash; it will cause trouble, wreak havoc, and bite you as well in the end. So if you want to prevent this dog called anger from causing you problems, you will need to learn to control it. Just to give you an idea, here are a few “leashes” that you can use:

Recognize and admit your anger: The first step in learning to control your anger is recognizing that it is there and admitting to it. Be it in the physiological or physical aspect, getting to know the signs as it comes up will help you avoid a lot of unwanted circumstances which can stem from it in the future. Be honest about what you are feeling, do not try to hide or stop it in any way, anger is a normal emotion, there is no need to feel ashamed or guilty about it.

Calm down: Before the provoking issue can be dealt with it is important that you reduce the intensity of the angry feeling by calming yourself first. Find techniques that will help you in achieving this and practicing them when the need arises. Counting to ten, taking a time out, getting a warm bath or taking a shower, exercise, meditation, and more – explore your options and practice those that work.

See the whole picture: There are so many reasons that can be given when it comes to the things that can provoke our anger. But most of them arise from misunderstandings or the lack thereof. By taking the time to understand what is happening better by asking questions, and digging deeper into what is being discussed you will be able to resolve conflicts without having to step on someone’s foot.

Learning to control anger is not easy, but it is very possible. By getting to know more about the techniques and rationalities behind each anger management information that you encounter, you will be able to gain a deeper understanding as to why it can and will work for you.