Anger is a healthy and normal emotion. But it can be a problem if you cannot keep it under control. It can hijack your life and probably make you feel like you are at the mercies of an overbearing, unpredictable, powerful emotion. In such instances, you will need to use professional counseling solutions to help you manage these emotions.
Perhaps you have been battling with a full spectrum of anger – from mere annoyance to rage that you can’t control. In most cases, people don’t expect to develop anger issues in life. Fortunately, an experienced anger management therapist can help you learn how to control this strong emotion. This can help create lasting relationships. It can also help your health. Remember, most people with anger issues often experience stomach pains and headache. Besides, too much anger can lead to critical health conditions such as high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease, and more.
Here is how an anger management therapist can help you manage anger and make your daily life better.
1. Relaxation
Typically, too much anger can be intensive and last longer. In this case, you need an expert who can offer you mental health advice. The expert should also help you learn and practice different ways of calming down your mind. Progressive relaxation requires you to master the art of tensing and relaxing your body muscle groups intentionally.
There are different ways of relaxing such as deep-breathing, mindfulness, and guided imagery. A good therapist can help you learn these techniques.
2. Skill building
To manage your anger effectively, you need to identify some of the major triggers if your daily life that triggers anger. Probably you get frustrated easily during conversations with someone in your family that can easily escalate to anger. Besides, you may be having a hard time controlling anger at your kid’s sporting event.
A professional in anger management can help you learn new and effective skills to exercise better communication. He or she can help you master the art of using humor to deflect tension whenever you are in a situation that can provoke your anger.
3. Cognitive therapy
This type of therapy involves identifying various thoughts that can heighten your anger. Often, individuals with anger outbursts become angrier due to some thoughts that cloud their minds after an event. This is especially true when you are interpreting another person’s conduct negatively.
For instance, assume that you’re getting checked-out in a nearby grocery shop. Then the person serving you says something in a rude tone. One thought about this incident could be, “What exactly is this person’s issue with me?”
During cognitive therapy sessions, you can learn how to identify and alter thoughts that could increase your anger. These sessions can help you practice staying calm, and thinking positively in different situations. In the illustration discussed, you can also have a different thought like, “This person doesn’t like his or her job.” This will keep you from negative thoughts that could increase your range.
4. Learn different ways anger is making your life difficult
An anger management therapist can help you understand how uncontrolled anger is affecting your daily life negatively. This can help you stay focused and committed to your quest to gain full control of your emotions.
It is a great motivation when it comes to choosing to react differently to situations that might provoke you. For instance, if you realize that your rage is creating a rift between you and your loved ones, there is a good chance you will work tirelessly towards controlling this emotion just to preserve the family relationship.
With the right guidance from a trained therapist can help you process those beliefs and feelings about anger in your life. This way, you can make better choices, feel self-directed, and with time, get full control over your anger.
Benefits of anger management
Here are the common benefits of anger management.
Better judgement: Anger can make you incapable of understanding a situation in an unbiased way. That means you are prone to making critical mistakes when it comes to reasoning. Managing your anger can help you think critically and make the right choices.
Effective communication: Generally, anger is caused by misunderstandings associated with miscommunications. Communicating effectively can result in an easy and controlled dialogue.
Understanding empathy: Part of anger management therapy is learning how to show empathy for other people. That means you will be in a position to understand other people better. That way, you will find yourself in fewer disputes or conflicts.
Wrap up
Anger, when under control, is a healthy emotion. If you cannot fully control anger, it’s time to seek professional help. Remember, therapists have undergone training and the right expert can help you gain control over your thoughts, emotions, and how you respond to different situations.
About The Author:
Stacey Smith is a freelance health writer. She is passionate to write about women’s health, dental health, diabetes, endocrinology and nutrition and provide in-depth features on the latest in health news for medical clinics and health magazines.