Anger

What is anger and how can it affect your mental health?

Anger is a normal, healthy emotion. It can help us to protect ourselves, and to stand up against things that are wrong. At times though it can be strong and difficult to deal with.

When you are angry, you might notice your heart beating faster, or your body feeling tense. Sometimes people clench their fists or feel hot. You might find yourself shouting, banging doors, or avoiding something or someone who is making you feel angry.

Sometimes, anger can make you hurt yourself and other people. Doing aggressive things can make you feel more angry often with yourself.

To manage your anger, try and understand where it comes from and what situations can cause it. You might be feeling angry because something bad has happened to you or is still happening to you now. Your anger might be hard to control and might be coming out in lots of different situations.

Top tips for managing anger:

• take slow, deep breaths
• recognise you are angry and try to listen to others
• if you can, take some time out away from the issue that is making you angry, and come back to it later
• exercise can help get built up frustration out of your system
• talk about how you are feeling with someone you trust
• do an activity that helps you to feel different, like walking your dog
• listening to your favourite music can help.

If you feel like your anger is out of control, or if anger is getting in the way of your work or relationships, talk to someone you trust and let them know how you’re feeling. You can also check out our Get Help Now section below.