Anger is a normal human emotion that virtually everyone experiences throughout their life. The challenge with anger is finding a way to express it in a way that doesn’t make others want to shut down, or to become defensive or scared.
Angry words and emotions can be scary to others, especially when they are expressed in a raw, loud manner. An angry person is also a person who is less able to hear and react to others in an empathetic, helpful way. Instead, when we’re angry, we tend to shut down, put our defenses up, and answer back in a way that can be hurtful or uncaring. We give an emotional response not tempered by reason or rationality.
Anger, like all emotions, can be managed. Unfortunately, most people don’t get a class in high school about what your emotions are and the best way to cope with them. You can learn how to react to others in a manner that allows you express your anger in a more healthy way that helps to de-escalate the situation. Anger management is learning to manage your angry feelings in a way that better allows you — and those around you — to cope with anger.
Even though most of us have never taken a class on anger management, we’ve got an amazing library full of articles on this topic. Browse through the articles below to help learn how to better cope with your own anger, or the emotions of an angry person in your life. Real, long-term changes in your behavior may take more than simply reading a few articles. You may need to commit to change, and work on those changes on a daily basis. Some people find it helpful to seek out a therapist to help them with these changes, since they can sometimes be challenging to do alone, all on your own.
Managing & Coping with Anger
6 Steps to Manage Anger
By Therese Borchard
How to Stop an Anger Attack in Its Tracks
By Sophie Henshaw, D.Psych
Tips for Coping with Your Angry Behavior
By Michael Ashworth, Ph.D.
Dealing with Anger Constructively
By Jane Collingwood
How to Deal with Anger
By Kurt Smith, LMFT, LPCC, AFC
Managing Anger
By Helen Nieves
The 7 Best Tips for Handling Anger & Resentment in Relationships
By Alicia H. Clark
How Biofeedback Can Help Anger
By Kristi DeName
Depression vs. Anger: Discovering the Lesser of Two Evils
By Alicia Sparks
Tips for Managing Anger
By the American Psychological Association
Anger in Children & Teens
Helping Children with Anger
By Marian Marion, Ph.D.
10 Tips for Helping Your Child Overcome Anger
By Heather Gilmore, MSW
Anger in ADHD and Temper-Reducing Tools to Help
By Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S.
Helping a Child Express Anger
By the Center for Mental Health Services
Parenting Angry Teens
By Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D.
Sports Can Help Kids Defuse Anger
By Rick Nauert, Ph.D.
