Everyone feels angry at some point in life. But if you have depression, other symptoms like sadness, fear, difficulty sleeping, and changes in appetite are quite common.
According to psychiatrist Carol Bernstein, a professor at the School of Medicine in New York, if a person thinks they are in a very bad mood, irritated, grumpy and with a short temper, they may be depressed. The first step is to seek therapy to treat the problem. However, other things can make you feel better and also reduce your anger, even if your condition is not depression. Here’s what to do, according to Health.com .
Count to 10 (or 100)
Thomas Jefferson said the famous phrase: “When you are angry, count to 10 before you speak. If you are very angry, go to 100”. According to professor of communication and psychology at Ohio University, Brad Bushman, angry people become highly excited and end up saying things that they will later regret. When you count slowly, your blood pressure and heart rate have a chance to return to normal, decreasing your arousal.
Forgive
Even if you don’t forget the incident, ultimately forgiving someone who has provoked you is an excellent way to overcome anger. Forgiveness can help you stop ruminating when thoughts don’t come out of your head like a nightmare. “This does not mean that you have to think that what the other has done is good for you, it will just help you to stop consuming yourself with anger.
Try to be distracted
Another way to placate anger is to seek distraction. They can be crosswords, drawing, cooking, walking the dog. Before trying to solve the problem, the director of behavioral medicine Kueny, from the University of Nebraska, says that the person must evaluate how angry he is. If in a school from 1 to 10 she considers values between 5 and 10, it is best to be distracted before making a decision.
Breathe deeply
Breathing deeply is a good way to calm yourself, as slow breaths will slow your heart rate. According to the American Society and Psychology, the ideal is to take breaths through the diaphragm, and not the small ones that only fill the chest with little air. Listening to calm music and practicing muscle relaxation exercises can also help.
Do not deny that you are angry
People who are able to discern that they are angry and deal with that feeling are less likely to resort to aggression or violence. Those who manage to put their emotions in different categories are more in tune with their interior. Thus, when these individuals are angry, they are quicker to deal effectively with negative emotions and to be less distracted by inefficient coping strategies, such as excessive alcohol consumption or abuse of other substances.
Write about the problem
Writing allows you to soften the bad feeling and help you think about how best to deal with the problem. When you react immediately to something, the decision is based on emotion. But when to think a little while writing, the chance to solve it in the best way is much better.
Don’t make a storm out of a glass of water
Instead of screaming, try to calm down in the bedroom and do something to dispel anger, like reading a book, listening to music. After you’re feeling calmer, it’s time to talk and put everything on clean plates.
Get exercise
Aerobic exercise, including brisk walking or jogging, can be a great way to deal with anger. When you exercise, it releases adrenaline, your, breathes more breathlessly, sensations very similar to anger. However, you will find that these symptoms are not linked to a bad feeling, but to something good. Physical activity also releases endorphins, chemicals in the brain that help to calm us down and manage our emotions.
Practice compassion
Doing something good for someone you are angry with seems incompatible. However, research shows that compassion can also dispel the other person’s anger. A recent study found that responding in solidarity when a colleague harshly addresses you is a good way to resolve a tense situation.
Don’t email when you’re angry
Never, ever, email when you’re really upset. If you want to write something for the person leave the email at least 24 hours in your draft box. Then reread it. You will find that this gives you time to work out a sensible and rational response to the situation.
Try to be grateful
Research shows that just showing gratitude for something makes a person happier and more content. Of course, that seems impossible when you’re angry. You don’t have to be grateful to those who offended you, but you could be grateful for other things in your life, big and small. Researchers at the University of California say that practicing constant gratitude can even improve health.
Wait to speak
Measuring how intense your anger is before you start venting your anger is a good way to avoid getting into an argument. You must not speak when you are angry. You better stop and take a break. When you think your anger is manageable and you can effectively express it without being destructive, it’s time to deal with the situation.
Say a Prayer
Researchers show that if a person can pray for the other person who made him angry, he ends up managing to soften a bad feeling. Prayer causes you to dispel your negative thoughts. If you don’t like to pray, try to spend a few minutes thinking sensibly about what you hate.
