How to dealing with anger during crisis
By: Alaa Babiker
Our attitudes are controlled by our emotions, and at many occasions people fail to control their attitudes, specially when it happens to be a difficult time like the one all the Sudanese are going through right now.
Doctors have always been advising about not to get ourselves very angry, as continued uncontrolled sever anger may lead to arguments, physical fights, physical abuse, assault, hypertension, and self-harm. And when these states are present in a war time and with armed members, I won’t say, you can just imagine the results.
So here in this article today, I would like to share a list of some of the top advices made by doctors from around the world on how to control and deal with anger specially during crisis times:-
( 1. Relaxation:-
Simple relaxation tools, such as deep breathing and relaxing imagery, can help calm down angry feelings. There are books and courses that can teach you relaxation techniques, and once you learn the techniques, you can call upon them in any situation. If you are involved in a relationship where both partners are hot-tempered, it might be a good idea for both of you to learn these techniques.
Cognitive restructuring:-
Simply put, this means changing the way you think. Angry people tend to curse, swear, or speak in highly colorful terms that reflect their inner thoughts. When you’re angry, your thinking can get very exaggerated and overly dramatic. Try replacing these thoughts with more rational ones.
Problem solving:-
Sometimes, our anger and frustration are caused by very real and inescapable problems in our lives. Not all anger is misplaced, and often it’s a healthy, natural response to these difficulties. There is also a cultural belief that every problem has a solution, and it adds to our frustration to find out that this isn’t always the case. The best attitude to bring to such a situation, then, is not to focus on finding the solution, but rather on how you handle and face the problem.
Better communication:-
Angry people tend to jump to—and act on—conclusions, and some of those conclusions can be very inaccurate. The first thing to do if you’re in a heated discussion is slow down and think through your responses. Don’t say the first thing that comes into your head, but slow down and think carefully about what you want to say. At the same time, listen carefully to what the other person is saying and take your time before answering.
Using humor:-
“Silly humor” can help defuse rage in a number of ways. For one thing, it can help you get a more balanced perspective. When you get angry and call someone a name or refer to them in some imaginative phrase, stop and picture what that word would literally look like. If you’re at work and you think of a coworker as a “dirtbag” or a “single-cell life form,” for example, picture a large bag full of dirt (or an amoeba) sitting at your colleague’s desk, talking on the phone, going to meetings. Do this whenever a name comes into your head about another person. If you can, draw a picture of what the actual thing might look like. This will take a lot of the edge off your fury; and humor can always be relied on to help unknot a tense situation.
Along to those additional advices; Changing your environment, Timing, Avoidance, and Finding alternatives).
The above mentioned advices have been shared with you from the American Psychological Association. Make sure to follow these instructions specially when you are in a serious situation or crisis. Stay healthy and safe everyone. May Allah help us all in Sudan.
The photo is shared from VeryWellMind.