Letting Go of Anger

Anger can stem from everyday situations or life-long struggles. While there are many reasons that feelings of anger can be triggered, it’s ultimately up to you to control how you react to certain situations. This is especially important in the day and age of social media, political upheaval, and social divide.

At Thriving Mind Psychology, the experienced psychologists offer comprehensive anger management services that can help you identify what’s causing you to feel persistently angry and resentful. Getting in control of your emotions will not only help your mental health, but it will also help your physical well-being.

Why you’re angry

Anger is a natural and healthy emotion in response to an injustice or a perceived wrong. It can also be a secondary emotion to other feelings, such as:

• Hurt
• Fear
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Inadequacy
• Depression

When you’re feeling vulnerable or attacked, it can lead to anger and other negative emotions. Many people also use anger as a defense mechanism to keep people away and provide a feeling of control over a situation.

Unfortunately, reacting in anger can lead to additional issues in your relationships and other areas of your life. You may also experience difficulties in life if you can’t let go of anger and resentment toward other people or life situations.

How to start letting go of anger

When you have difficulties letting go of anger, it can be due to old habits. You may get mad and stay mad without thinking much about it. However, when you’re ready to start letting go, you need to be ready to make necessary changes to your thought processes and usual habits to be successful.

The psychology team at Thriving Mind Psychology offers professional guidance through their anger management services. They will work closely with you to identify the triggers of your anger and help you become more aware of your emotions in general.

In addition to individual and group therapy services, the Thriving Mind Psychology team can assist you in making necessary life changes, so you can deal with things that anger you, be able to recognize anger triggers, and be able to control how you react to situations.

The team at Thriving Mind Psychology offers the following tips to make it easier to let go of anger:

Be present with your emotions

Learn to take a time-out when you feel anger or other negative emotions. Stay in the present and think about what’s making you feel angry, so you can identify any underlying issues, such as fear or anxiety, that you need to address.

Express your anger differently

Rather than screaming or putting others down out of anger and frustration, use other ways to express your negative emotions. Many people find it helpful to write about what they feel, even throwing the paper away afterward to symbolize a release of anger.

Physical exercise is another healthy way to deal with anger and other emotions. Take a walk or work out your frustrations at the gym.

Practice self-relaxation

When you’re feeling angry or frustrated, your heart rate goes up and your body starts working overtime. Take a few minutes to focus solely on your breathing. Don’t think about the circumstances, only focus on relaxing your breath, your body, and your mind to bring yourself into a quieter space.

It’s also important that you take time every day, especially before you go to bed, to unplug from the television, phone, and internet. You may even benefit from quiet time away from other people to recharge and focus on things you’re grateful for.

Move forward with compassion

You can change your life by leading with compassion. Even those who make you the angriest likely have their own struggles in life. Consider that when speaking to others, and practice showing kindness and compassion whenever possible.

Simple acts of kindness, even toward those who are not kind in return, are good for the soul and can help you realize how you look and act when you’re angry.

Visualize anger leaving

Visualization is a powerful way to remain self-aware and in control of your emotions. When you start feeling angry, take a moment to feel how it feels and then let it go. Visualize seeing anger physically leave your body, and then focus on better feelings and thoughts.

If you struggle with anger, the team at Thriving Mind Psychology can help you live a full life again. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with Thriving Mind Psychology today.