Don't miss

4 Long-term and Effective Anger Management Techniques for Adults

By Operation Meditation

Anger is a natural human reaction. It would be weird to not feel even slightly angry if things don’t turn out as expected, or when someone wrongs you. But due to our stressful modern lives, anger can sometimes be so utterly destructive—uncontrolled anger can cost us our jobs, and in the worst of cases, our very own lives. But don’t fret (or be angry, for that matter), as these four highly effective anger management techniques for adults have been proven to have powerful long-term mitigating effects in controlling a potentially destructive emotion.

Tip 1: Be aware of the reasons behind your anger

Knowing why you’re angry in the first place can work only when you’re not angry—when you’re in the middle of that moment, your mind still white hot and seething, it would be impossible to know. But for the sake of your long-term control of anger, it is of utmost importance to self-analyze the underlying reasons for your anger. Socrates once said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” This applies well to anger management. Think of the last time you got angry, and try to remember all the elements involved in that situation: what made you angry, what triggered it, how did other people react, and how did you also react to those people’s reactions. Write it down in some journal or notebook, the more detailed the better. Do this self-analysis after each instance that you get angry, and you will learn more about yourself and thereby master your own emotions.

Tip 2: Decide not to get angry

As they say, anger is a decision—you don’t become angry unless you allow yourself to be. The trouble, however, is that often getting angry has become an easy habit that losing your temper becomes automatic. The silver lining: you can start deciding not to get angry after you’ve spent enough time getting acquainted with the reasons why you get angry in the first place. So check out the previous tip and take it seriously, and only then will this second tip becomes a breeze to do.

Tip 3: Meditate

Engaging in meditation is one of the best long-term anger management techniques for adults. Moreover, it not only enables you to have better control of your emotions (especially the negative ones), but can also bring about a deep sense of inner peace and calm. There are several meditation techniques that can be applicable to anger management, but the simplest would be the most straightforward: tell yourself the following meditation mantra: “I control my anger. I control my mind. I am calm, peaceful, and contented. Nothing pierces the sphere of peace that surrounds me.” Regularly practice this little meditation technique a few minutes each day and you’ll eventually notice a significant difference in how well you can catch yourself before you lose your temper.

Tip 4: Acknowledge your success in controlling your anger

Each time you succeed in controlling your negative emotions, not only your anger, take it easy and congratulate yourself. As one of the best anger management techniques for adults, recognizing every little success has manifold benefits, foremost of which is serving as a positive reinforcement system to further strengthen your ability to control your emotions. Moreover, congratulating yourself can have a significant impact on your self-confidence and would further lower down the barrier of resistance—next time you need to control your anger, it would not be as difficult as previously.

Controlling anger, especially if losing your temper has been a deeply ingrained habit, can be difficult, if not exceptionally challenging. But with perseverance and regular application of the aforementioned techniques, you will eventually master your own emotions and enjoy living a more productive, happier life.

Try For Free