Tips To Help Identify And
Monitor Your Anger
Tips To Help Identify And Monitor Your Anger. The first step in measuring if you are angry is to put a name on
how you are feeling. One way is to keep a written document (a journal) of events or situations in which we became
angry and record how we felt.
Some words that may describe how we felt may be: bitter, depressed, destructive, evil, frustrated, hostile,
mean, numb, paranoid, rebellious, resentful, revengeful, worthless, victimized. Putting a name to our feelings
helps the intensity of our feelings.
These are some names that can describe anger. Understand that when you feel this way, you are feeling anger. The
next step is to write down in your journal exactly what made you feel this way. What was said, or done that made
you feel like you do. Be as specific as possible in your description.
Make a list of whom you are angry at: This list may contain yourself, your spouse or partner, your boss, your
children, the entire population of the earth, your stinking life, men, women, God, a particular ethnic race,...the
list can go on and on.
Write down exactly whom you are angry at and be specific. When anger exists it usually involves one or more of
the following possibilities: you are angry with others, others are angry with you, anger towards self, past anger
You can have feeling other than anger when faced with a situation.
Are there any other feelings that you recall having during the situation? Suggestions may be: feelings of being
cheated, you may feel dumb, helpless, guilty or inadequate. Now that you have identified these other emotions you
can truly understand what you are angry about.
You can understand the intensity of your feelings and get a better grip on who or what makes you angry.
Identifying that you feel helpless or guilty are elements that can be addressed by professionals or by
self-analysis. Finding a why you feel helpless and finding a way to help you to feel powerful can take away the
anger.
Did You Know This About Anger Management
Management Strategies and Tips for Controlling Anger
We've all heard the old adage: Count to ten and let your anger cool. This works for small outburst of anger or when you feel it bubble up inside of you.
Walking away from confrontations or situations that you suspect may cause you to become angry
Avoid all together situations that have in the past caused you to become angry, if at all possible
Biting your tongue - I would not advise this one, it could be painful. The meaning behind the phrase, though is to think before you speak...
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Monitoring your anger can also be done by assigning a # to your intensity level Give yourself a 10 if you are red
in the face and totally out of control. Give your self a 1 if you are slight peeved. A five if you are moderately
angry. You get the picture. If you assign a number to each situation in your journal, then you can relate to this
intensity the next time you record an entry.
Are you angrier now, then last time? If so, why? Is the situation similar? If the situation is
different, how is it different? Does this help you to understand about your anger? Your journal is a useful tool
for both identifying and monitoring your anger. Your journal can also gage whether or not you are gaining better
control over your anger. If your intensity levels are going down when you assign numbers then you may be in fact
gaining the ability to control your anger.
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Not all anger is misplaced or unjustified. Sometimes anger and frustration are caused by
real and seemingly inescapable problems in our lives. Anger and other feelings can be a
completely natural response to such problems.
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If you intensity numbers are rising then it is probably time to call in a professional or take
anger management classes. Identifying what makes you anger can give you clues as to what to avoid or areas in which
you may want to brainstorm ideas about how to handle these situations better in the future.
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