Hello, friends!
Do you sometimes feel so angry that you want to explode? Feeling annoyed, irritated, or even furious is something everyone experiences. Anger is a normal emotion, but when it’s uncontrolled, it can lead to trouble. Unmanaged anger can harm your health and your relationships. It can make you say or do things you wouldn’t if you were calm. So, it’s important to learn healthy ways to manage your anger.
Today, we’ll explore five different coping skills to help you control your angry emotions. These coping skills can calm your brain and body, allowing you to think more clearly when your temper rises.
Recognizing Anger Warning Signs
Before using coping skills, it’s helpful to notice warning signs in your body that indicate you’re feeling angry. Examples of these warning signs include:
- Heavy breathing
- Racing heartbeat
- Feeling hot
- Clenching your fists or jaw
- Shaking
- Tightness in your chest
You might also show signs of anger through actions like raising your voice, arguing, yelling, refusing to talk, threatening others, or pacing back and forth. These symptoms are helpful indicators that it’s time to stop and calm down.
Five Coping Skills to Manage Anger
1. Relaxation Skills
Relaxation skills help calm your brain and body. Here are a few methods you can try:
- Deep Breathing: Take deep breaths in through your nose, filling your belly. Hold for a couple of seconds, then breathe out slowly through your mouth.
- Tension Release: Tense and relax your muscles.
- Nature Time: Spend time outside in nature.
- Meditation: Try a quick 5-minute meditation.
Deep Breathing Techniques:
- Belly Breathing: Feel your belly expand as you breathe in, and then return to its resting position as you breathe out.
- Square Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and pause for 4 seconds. Imagine tracing a square in the air.
- Triangle Breathing: Inhale for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, exhale for 3 seconds.
2. Distraction Skills
Distraction skills help you take your mind off the angry situation. Try engaging in:
- Hobbies or creative activities like art or writing in a journal
- Counting from 1 to 100
- Listening to music
- Watching a funny movie
- Playing with a pet
3. Movement or Physical Release
Sometimes, anger can lead to aggressive behavior. It’s essential to channel that energy productively. Here are some healthy activities to consider:
- Walk away from the situation
- Run, bike, or swim
- Do exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, or stretching
4. Thinking Skills
Thinking skills help you notice and change negative thoughts that trigger your anger. For example, if you feel it’s unfair to do homework before watching TV, remind yourself:
- “It’s okay, I can do this.”
- “I’ll take a walk to clear my head.”
- “This isn’t worth getting upset about.”
Remember, your thoughts can affect how you feel and act. Changing your thoughts can change your feelings and behavior.
5. Communication Skills
Using your words can express how you feel without blaming others. Practice using “I” statements like:
- “I feel mad when you brag about winning because it seems like you don’t care about my feelings.”
Talking to someone supportive—like a friend, parent, teacher, or counselor—can also help.
Tools to Help You Manage Anger
You may not be able to get rid of your anger completely, but these coping skills can help lower it to a more manageable level. One effective tool is an anger thermometer.
- Identify your level of anger, from annoyed to enraged.
- Use corresponding coping skills to help you feel calm.
If one skill doesn’t work, try another until you find what helps you the most.
It’s perfectly normal to feel angry, but the key is to find healthy ways to handle that anger. Next time you feel those angry emotions rising, stop and remind yourself to use a coping strategy. Choose from the following categories:
- Relaxation skills
- Distraction skills
- Movement skills
- Thinking skills
- Communication skills
If you found this article helpful, please like, share, and subscribe! For more resources on social-emotional and mental health for kids and teens, visit our website. Remember, managing anger is a skill, and with practice, you can learn to control it!