Everyone gets angry from time to time. While there is nothing wrong in feeling anger, what is important is how to cope with it.
A teenager shares his tale of controlling anger
In Vishal’s case (name changed to protect identity) anger took extreme forms. “If someone annoyed me or didn’t do things like I wanted or if anything didn’t go right I would get pissed,” he says. After a fight with his younger sister, Vishal broke the glass door of his garden. He felt guilt and apologised. Upon regular guidance from his mother, he tried to control his bouts of anger. “I started taking deep breaths and being more accepting. I meditated as a way to improve my focus for studying but it probably made me calmer and less angry,” he says.
Why do you get angry?
Understand that anger is an emotion caused by something that is happening in your life. It can be:
- Feeling frustrated about how life is going
- Getting bullied at school
- Hormonal changes in your body
- Having to cope with tremendous pressure
- Feeling hurt because of a break-up
There can be many more reasons for someone to be angry.
What are some of the signs of being angry
- Increase in your heartbeat
- Welling up of emotions
- Sweating
- Raising your voice
- Picking arguments
Tips for managing anger, according to our in-house Counselor Kshitija Sawant:
- Take 5 deep breaths and count to 100: Distracting your mind from angry thoughts will help you regain your sense of cool.
- Take a walk: The idea is to get up, take a quick walk and come back. A change of place will help you.
- Talk to someone: Share why you are angry with someone. This can be a friend, cousin, sibling or a trusted adult.
- Exercise: If you experience anger on a regular basis, letting off steam by getting regular exercise is a good idea.
- Deal with the trigger: Introspect and understand what makes you angry in the first place. Write down the reasons. The next time you feel the same way, distract your mind.