Top tips on how to deal with anger in a healthy way
Count to ten before you act
Anger leads us to take action very fast. But that can mean we don’t give ourselves the chance to choose a more constructive way to deal with our anger. Give rational thinking time to kick in.
Drop your shoulders and take a few deep breaths
And relax… your instincts may be telling your body to get ready to fight, but you can reverse this message by telling your body to chill out.
Pummel a pillow or have a scream in your room
Anger gets us ready for action and floods us with energy. Release your tension in a safe way, without hurting yourself or anyone else.
Channel your energy into exercise
Work off your anger through exercise and boost the release of feel good brain chemicals which help us relax.
Distract yourself
Take yourself out of the situation that made you angry - read a magazine, do a crossword, listen to soothing music or go for a walk.
Get creative
Pour out how you feel in writing or redirect your energy into another activity. It can help you get things in proportion and work out how you want to respond.
What you can do longer term
Practise relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation
Relaxation techniques challenge the physical aspects of anger, such as the brain chemicals that prepare you to fight, before these chemicals lead you to act impulsively.
Keep talking, keep listening
Talking about your feelings is good for your mental health and offloading to a friend can help you get perspective. Listen to other people’s point of view too. Assuming you know where they stand can take things from bad to worse.
Learn how to be assertive, not aggressive
Being assertive is a healthier way to express anger than aggression. People are more likely to take you seriously if you get your message across without sounding threatening or using aggressive body language.
Know yourself
It can be helpful to work out what makes you angry, how it makes you behave and what calms you down. Would changes in your daily life help you deal with anger better?
These tips are adapted from our booklet
Cool Down: Anger and how to deal with it
Anger is the theme of this year's Mental Health Action Week campaign.
As an independent charity, we campaign to engage with the public about mental health issues which affect us all. We want to awaken curiosity among ordinary people about their own mental health and wellbeing.
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