UPPER DARBY POLICE DEPARTMENT

 Tips For Managing Anger

Learn how to recognize the physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral warning signs of your angry feelings.  In recognizing these signs, you are able to take control of your anger. You can often prevent an angry outburst and examine the contributing factors to your anger.

Identify your emotions.  Are you actually feeling anger or is it another emotion disguised as anger?  Examine what has made you feel this way and determine if anger is the most appropriate emotion to be expressing.

Ask yourself if anger is justified.  Is it an overreaction to a situation that is beyond your control?  Are you misplacing anger with yourself onto others?  Are you expecting too much of yourself and others?  Are you taking things too personally?

Talk out rather than act out your angry feelings.  Do this with someone you trust and who is not involved in the event that triggered your anger.

Explore your options.  What type of response is in your best interest?  Play out different scenarios in your head and with someone you trust.  If possible, try to let go of the problem for a day or two.  Do something physical (take a walk, play ball, exercise), but not violent, to relieve your stress.  Let things cool down.  Important decisions should be made only when you are in a calm, rational frame of mind.

Recall what situations worked for you in the past.  Remember that difficult feelings, no matter how strong, are always temporary.  No matter how uncomfortable your feelings are right now, they will go away.  Acting impulsively, exploding or getting depressed will only make matters worse.  This does not mean you should ignore difficult feelings and hope they will go away, only that you do not need to get consumed by them.  You can manage difficult feelings.

Reward yourself.  When you have successfully handled a difficult situation, acknowledge your accomplishment and give yourself a healthy reward.  Be proud that you have managed your anger in an effective and healthy way.