How to control your outburst?

PEOPLE GO through a variety of emotions but the most intense of all is anger. Perhaps no other feeling is more troublesome than that sudden burst of yelling and explosive remarks. Spontaneous and uncontrollable at times, the fact is that none of us likes to be angry and yet we can’t seem to prevent ourselves from expressing it at times. While it is normal and healthy to experience anger, how we react when angered can have a significant impact on our relationships, work and health. So how is it that the outburst can be prevented? Anger m a n a g e - ment experts cross-check and suggest the ways to control it:

WHY DO WE GET ANGRY?

Actually anger is a defen ive weapon that is used when a person feels unprotected in the face of a threat. If you become angry, it is because something has occurred which is a threat to your physical safety or your psychological well-being. But the difficult part is to identify the events that have the potential to create an explosive situation. Remember the last time you became angry. Review the events that led you to feel this way. Now, think about how you may have perceived these events as a threat. Once you have analysed the threat, you are in a position to defend yourself.

REIN IN YOUR ANGER

Anger is a result of the events in the environment that we feel are a threat to us. The exact same event evokes an angry response from you, but not from others. In other words, we create our own anger, just as we create our own happiness, sadness or any other emotion. All this boils down to the fact that we are in control of how much anger we experience. It is only by bringing about a change in the perception that one can control that emotional outburst.

INTERRUPT ANGRY RESPONSE

Have you heard of a saying, “If y o u are ang ry, count to ten before you say or do anything.” Follow the advice. By focusing your attention on a mundane task like counting, you give yourself a chance to calm down. Once you are calm, you can think more clearly about what you are feeling and why. More importantly, you can plan a course of action to resolve the situation more effectively.