5 healthy ways to release anger #CPTSD #HealingJourney #AllowYourselfToRecover #WorkThroughTheChaos

"5 WAYS TO RELEASE ANGER IN A HEALTHY WAYS":

Simply letting things go is an unattainable art, but anger management is a skill you can start learning right now. Problems at home, work, or in your relationships will turn up and you can’t ignore them. Anger is a normal reaction that ranges from mild annoyance to rage, which leads to often aggressive behaviors (1). According to American Psychological Association, suppressing anger might turn into passive-aggressive tendencies or perpetual cynicism and hostility (1). You don’t want to scream and shout at people around you either.

So here are five ways to manage anger healthily:

1. SING

Get in touch with your teenage self who sang Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” after the first breakup. Think of a song that is in the spirit of your anger, put it on, and sing at the top of your lungs, bonus points if you dance, too. Anger release is guaranteed!

2. SPELL IT OUT

Write down why you are angry and how you feel in as much detail as you can. It might seem silly and unproductive at first, but you will be able to dump everything on your mind and get a fresh view of the situation and possible solutions.

3. WORK OUT

Anger is accompanied by physical arousal: your blood pressure, heart rate, and adrenaline levels go up (1). Physical activity will release this energy. Try a walk, a run, some cardio, or just a couple of push-ups to cool off.

4. GET ARTSY

Get some paint, crayons, or just a pen or pencil and draw whatever your heart desires. Your masterpiece can have a subject or look like random doodles. Either way, the activity will get your mind off the internal rage and help it channel onto paper instead of yourself or others.

5. BREATHE

When you don’t have time for a full-on meditation session, a breathing exercise can do the trick and help you come down. Here’s one: slowly, take a deep breath through your nose while counting to four, then breathe out through your mouth counting up to eight. 10 times can be enough, but keep going till you feel more relaxed.

SOURCES:

Controlling anger before it controls you (n.d., apa.org )