Anger is a negative emotional or violent response usually accompanied by natural and cerebral changes. The intensity of anger varies from feeling displeased to rage or fury. It’s a natural phenomenon, but it calls for adequate attention when it surpasses its average level. Hence, the need to discuss anger management in detail.
Table of Contents
Types of Anger
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Passive Aggression
Most people find it difficult to express their anger. It’s a kind of anger where the angry person is silent and withdrawn. An individual with passive aggression finds solace in not talking about it. They go from sulking to soliloquizing and finding comfort in being far away from people.
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Open aggression
This is the direct opposite of passive aggression. Most people find it difficult to control their anger, fully embracing the rage and fury. They engage in verbal and physical arguments to express their anger. This is the worst sort of anger because it can cause them or their loved ones hurt or pain.
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Assertive aggression
Experts see this as the best way of controlling anger. This involves a mature conversation/expression on why an individual is angry. It doesn’t involve malice (passive aggression) or fights (open aggression). Instead, the angry person would simply discuss their feelings and resolve the matter with no further issues.
What is Anger Management?
According to Wikipedia, “anger management is a psychotherapeutic process or program for controlling anger and preventing its destructive manifestations.” Without anger management, it’s almost impossible to regulate the outbursts that come with your anger.
10 Anger Management Tips for Every Nigerian
There are numerous tips that you can follow when it comes to controlling your anger, but these are some of the easy ways to control your anger.
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Think before speaking
When you’re angry, it’s easy to say something that you will regret later. So, to avoid that, it’s advisable to weigh your thoughts before letting them out. If something nasty comes to your head, turn it around in your head so you can feel the weight of your words. It’ll be easy to let it go when you do this m
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Clear and direct communication
Direct communication is one of the most effective anger management tips. After weighing your thought carefully, it’s important to let the other party know how you feel. You can come out to them in an assertive but non-confrontational way. Remember, all you want to do is communicate your feelings, not rile them up.
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Exercise
Physical activity can reduce stress, which is one of the causes of anger. When you feel your anger rise, choose to walk, run, stretch, or engage in some physical activities that you simply enjoy. You can let off steam without transferring aggression or hurting someone else.
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Reflect
Reflection times aren’t only for kids. Give yourself small breaks at specific times of the day that tend to be stressful. A couple of quiet moments can help you feel prepared to handle what happens next without getting irritated or angry.
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Find solutions
Every problem has a solution. Instead of being angry, identify what’s making you angry and find a solution to it. Remember that anger doesn’t solve a problem. Instead, it worsens it. So, don’t find solace in anger, and work hard to find a solution to solve that problem at hand.
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First-person statements
Many people find it difficult to admit their wrongs. Instead, when there’s a need to explain the situation, they make use of “you,” “her,” and never “I,” or “me.” Pointing fingers won’t ease the tension of the matter at hand; it would worsen it. To avoid situations like this, use “I-statements” to explain yourself. Be respectful and specific. For example, say, “I was a little bit annoyed when I heard these words directed at me,” instead of, “She blatantly called me vile names.”
The beauty of this technique is that it helps you identify the exact source of the anger and reevaluate if it’s worth the energy.
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Be forgiving
Forgiveness is a very powerful tool. If you permit anger and other negative feelings to take the place of positive ones, you’ll find that your bitterness or sense of injustice overwhelms you. But if you’ll forgive someone who angered you, you’ll both learn something new and probably strengthen your relationship.
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Use humour to ease the tension
Ignoring the annoying words or actions and making a joke out of them can help relieve tension. Using humour is one of the anger management tips that only works for a few people. Humour enables you to handle both what makes you angry and unrealistic expectations about certain things. However, avoid sarcasm because it can hurt feelings and make things worse.
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Relaxation
 When you feel annoyed or angry, practice some relaxation techniques. Use deep breathing exercises, imagine a relaxing scene, or repeat a relaxing word or phrase until your nerves are calm.Â
You can also listen to your favourite music, write in your journal, or play games. Whatever it takes to relax, do it.
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Seek help when necessary
Sometimes learning to regulate anger may be a challenge. If your anger seems out of control, forces you to do things you regret, or hurts those around you, seek professional help. It’s not a taboo, and yes, there’s help out there.
Read also: Stress management tips for Nigerians.
Why Should You Take These Anger Management Tips to Heart?
After implementing these anger management tips, you’re sure to get positive changes, both individually and to people around you. Here are a few positive effects or results of managing your anger.
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Better self-understanding
When you learn how to stop being angry unnecessarily, you’ll better understand yourself and the people around you.
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Build communication skills
Anger management therapy helps you communicate better. Instead of flaring up in anger, you’re more inclined to talk about your feelings to your loved ones in a non-confrontational manner.
Read also: How to have a conversation with strangers in Nigeria
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Better health
Anger management helps you live a healthier life. Being angry might lead to high blood pressure and even lead you to take drugs or alcohol, which is dangerous to your health.
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Prevents mental health issues
Compilation of anger or frustration might lead to some mental health issues like depression, PTSD, and others. But when you actively control your anger, you can let out your frustration in a fun and non-violent way.
It’s human to be angry. Anger only becomes a problem when you let it control you. How do you control your anger? Scream into a pillow or hit a wall? Does it work for you? Let’s hear it in the comments.
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About the Author
I am Adenike Esther. My love for writing started way back at a tender age when I was an enthusiast in writing short stories to publish them someday. I started writing entirely as a career recently, and I hope to widen my horizons soon. My niches are; copywriting, ghostwriting, article writing, and anything that has to do with writing. Do well to connect with me via my social media handles.
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