10 Ways to Deal with Anger
Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSP, LMHC
Executive Director: AllCEUs.com
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox and Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
10 Ways to Get Rid of Anger
1. Thank it~ Anger is your body’s way of saying that there is a threat of some sort
2. Make a choice about the best way to use your energy to get closer to your goals~ What needs to be done: Change the situation (do something about it) or change your response to the situation (let it go, accept it, don’t feed it)~ Tale of 2 Wolves — Inside us there are two wolves. One is hurtful, filled with anger, jealousy, greed, resentment and inferiority. The other is helpful filled with joy, peace, love, acceptance, kindness and truth. The wolf that survives is the one that is fed.
3. Examine the alternatives~ Take the other person’s point of view
4. Take a both/and perspective~ 2 seemingly opposing viewpoints can both be right
5. Make lemonade~ Try to find the good that came out of it
6. Take a walk~ Anger kicks up your fight or flight hormones. Use up some of that energy to get regrounded
7. Know your triggers and have a plan~ Rejection, Failure, Loss of control?
8. Prevent vulnerabilities~ Sleep deprivation, stimulants, low blood sugar, alcohol
9. Write it down and talk again later~ When you write you can get out and then censor the hurtful, aggressive remarks
10. Work on your self-esteem~ Many anger triggers have to do with fearing rejection, being judged, failing in some way, or not being able to control someone else’s opinion of you~ A strong self esteem allows you to be okay with the fact that nobody will like you all the time, and not everyone will like you
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