While it’s true that anger can be a healthy emotion and we should not keep it bottled up, it’s important that you learn to release it effectively. Being angry all the time, flaring up at small things or letting your anger get out of control is very unhealthy to yourself and also those around you.

It’s very important to keep your anger in check and to keep it under control, but before we dive into how to manage your anger, let’s discuss the effects anger has on your body and your surroundings.

What happens to your body when you get angry?

When you’re angry your body goes through internal changes. These changes may be small at first, but if anger is left unchecked and uncontrolled, your body is in big trouble. The following things happen to your body if you don’t manage it:

1. One of the first things to happen is that your body may activate a ‘fight or flight’ response.

2. Cortisol and adrenaline which are stress hormones flow through the body through the adrenal glands more rapidly.

3. Blood pressure rises, the heart rate goes up and the respiration rate increases; this causes a rise in the body temperature and more sweating.

4. Sugar levels in your body may build up and may start obstructing your arteries.

5. An angry body also pumps out more cholesterol along with other chemicals that are called catecholamines. This causes fatty deposits to clog the heart and arteries. That’s why it is believed that people who get angry more are, at least, three times more prone to suffering from a heart attack than those who are able to curb their temper and act rationally.

What does anger feel like?

When you get angry, you tend to

• Breathe faster
• Feel your heart beating faster
• Concentrate less
• Feel flushed
• Tense your shoulder muscles
• Feel knots in your stomach
• Clench your fists or your jaw
• Get headaches

What are the effects of getting angry?

Anger is detrimental to your life and how you deal with others. Read on to see what the consequences of getting angry too much and too often really are.

Mental

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Irritability
• Concentration problems
• Deteriorating quality of life

Physical

• Heart disease
• Digestive issues
• Abdominal pain
• Diabetes
• Weakened immune system
• Insomnia
• High blood pressure
• Skin problems like pimples, acne, eczema, etc.

Relationships

• Negatively effects relationships with loved ones
• Damages relationships
• You may not be trusted
• Loved ones may not feel comfortable around you

Work

• Lack of concentration
• Unable to take criticism
• Unnecessary arguments
• Lack of respect
• Colleagues may not feel comfortable around you

How can you control your anger?

1. Breathe

Breathing deeply for a few minutes can help calm you down sufficiently.

2. Count

Counting from 1-10 can actually help you calm down enough to behave rationally.

3. Exercise

Exercise helps boost your mood because it releases endorphins which trigger positive feelings in your body.

4. Meditation

Meditation is a great way to relax and can empower the way you think. It helps to clear your mind of impure thoughts like anger and helps to calm you down and be more rational.

5. Communicate

Sometimes you are unable to communicate what you are really feeling or want to say which may lead to frustration and anger. Effectively communicating with your colleagues or loved ones by thinking before speaking and listening to the other person can help relieve your anger before it spins out of control. Talking rather than getting angry can help as the person listening may be able to give you a different perspective on what you are feeling and why you are feeling it.

6. Write

Pen down your thoughts on paper or on the laptop. Keep a journal. Even if you don’t show anyone what you wrote, it can actually be a great stress buster, help you clear your head and express your feelings by letting it all out.

7. Focus

Sometimes your anger may get out of control because you lose focus of the underlying problem. In times like this, take a break or a time out, change your environment, take a walk, weigh the pros and cons of the situation. Then when you come back to the reason you lost your temper, you may be able to focus better on finding a solution rather than being part of the problem.

What to do if you still can’t control your anger?

In extreme cases, when you find that the tips given above are hard for you to follow or if you feel that your anger is getting more and more out of control, seek help from your doctor or mental health professionals in Qatar that have experience dealing with anger issues.

Do you suffer from anger issues? What do you do to calm down? How do you resolve your anger? Do let us know in our comments section and if you have any other anger management tips that have helped you, feel free to share them. Like and share the article – it keeps us going?

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Nabeela

Content Writer

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