Slow Down when Angry

During a recent anger management class we discussed the importance of learning to self regulate your mood under distress. Anger is a very strong emotion and it is important to learn the keys to controlling it to prevent angry or violent outbursts.

It is common to reach out to those that are closest to us for an open ear or feedback when we feel angry. Ideally after a conversation, there is a sense of relief that is felt due to the release of emotion. But what happens when there is no one to call or you don’t feel comfortable talking about your feelings or problem with someone else? How can you look at the BIG picture and self regulate when you are distracted with the strong feeling of anger? It is not easy….but you CAN DO IT.

There are behavioral and cognitive techniques that are effective tools that aid with self-regulation. The following is a cognitive technique focused on modifying the thought process. The first and most important step is slowing down. By that, I mean slowing down your thoughts. Take several moments to think about what is going on within your current situation. Take somewhat of an inventory of the situation as a whole. For starters, ask yourself these five questions.

1. What happened?
2. Who was involved?
3. What was said?
4. How did I react?
5. What was the outcome?

By asking yourself these questions, you are forcing yourself to slow down and look at the entire situation, not just a minor detail. Essentially, you are looking at the BIG picture and taking the first step to regulating your mood.

Like most anger management tools it takes practice, but over time it will become somewhat automatic.

Stacy H. Price, MFTI
Daybreak Counseling Service
www.daybreakservices.com
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