Addiction problems tend to cause our feelings of anger to get out of control, damaging relationships with those around us. As a result, you make things toxic in your home, work, or school environment. Learning anger management techniques goes a long way in helping you channel that emotion in a less harmful way as you overcome addiction through addiction treatment programs.

1. Figure Out What’s Bothering You

If you find yourself getting unreasonably angry over small things like being out of ham when you want to make a sandwich, it may be that your fury is directed at other underlying issues. Try to figure out what true feelings you could be masking. Is it fear of losing your job? Or insecurity about a current relationship? The anger could be covering up a health issue like chronic stress or depression and could highlight the need for dual diagnosis treatment.

2. Identify Your Triggers

Look at your daily routine? Are there specific incidents that seem to bring out your anger? For example, does it happen while you are driving to and from work? Are you particularly aggravated when you meet with certain colleagues at the office? Examine how these situations negatively affect your thought processes. Recognizing your trigger points and changing how you approach those situations can help keep your temper under control.

3. Recognize Your Anger Warning Signs

Your body gives off physical signals when you hit your boiling point. Start recognizing personal changes that warn you about your approaching breaking point. Some warning signs to learn to be aware of that shows your body reacting to or dealing with anger include:

Clenched jaw or fists
Feeling flushed or clammy
Lack of focus
Heart beating faster
Tension in your neck and shoulders
The onset of a headache
Knotted stomach

Sensing your body anger signals gives you the chance to back away from a stressful situation and get yourself under control. In addition, learning to recognize these warning signs in your own actions and body and others allow for stress and negativity to be addressed sooner rather than later.

4. Change Your Thinking

Another effective anger management technique is rearranging the thoughts in your head. Anger often brings the darkest and ugliest words tumbling out of your mouth. Change those negative feelings to something rational.

Select phrases like “I’m frustrated” or “I’m upset, but this can be fixed” versus others like “Everything is terrible!” or “Why do I even bother?” You keep yourself from alienating people while recognizing the logical side of the current event. Removing negative thoughts also improves your mood and helps you calm down.

5. Employ Relaxation Tools

Relying on relaxation tools enables you to focus and brings you back from the brink. It is one of the most effective anger management techniques. First, find a calm image on which to focus. Think of words like “Relax” and “It’s ok” while breathing deeply.

Another great way to relax is to employ slow yoga poses. Focusing on the motions relaxes you while removing tension from your body.

6. Solve the Problem

A lot of our anger is due to situations we feel are beyond our control. For example, it could be a manager who we feel undermines us at work or not feeling loved in a relationship. Write down why you are reacting in anger and come up with a specific plan to handle your issues.

Making a real effort to implement your plan helps you learn better responses to your problems. Of course, you may not reach a satisfactory resolution right away. But the process of thinking through your problem helps break it down to a granular level, helping you view the situation more dispassionately.

7. Communicate Constructively

Anger usually pushes us to conclusions that may not be accurate. We don’t hear what the other person is saying because we are so wrapped up in our emotions. Force yourself to clamp down on the first words that come into your head and absorb what the other person is telling you, even if it’s delivered in anger.

Be careful about the words used to describe how you view them. For example, do not call someone a jailer if you feel they are restricting your movements. Using this anger management technique keeps things from escalating and spinning out of control.

Learn Better Anger Management Techniques at Santé Center for Healing

Addiction and anger issues often go hand in hand. Our center offers individual therapy programs designed to help you learn effective anger management techniques that help you get through your post-recovery life once you leave addiction treatment. Not only can clients find anger management treatment, but they can also take advantage of other therapies like: