Effective Ways to Manage Anger

Anger management is a part of drug treatment programs in some rehab centers in California. This is included in their program list, because victims of drug abuse and addiction may feel angered most of the times due to their condition.

Here is a list of some things, which may be done to avoid and control anger as suggested by rehab centers in California.

1. Use simple relaxation tools such as breathing deeply and creating relaxing images in your mind. For example, breathe deeply from your diaphragm. Picture your breath coming up from your "gut." While doing this, slowly repeat a calm word or phrase such as "relax," "take it easy." Use your imagination to create relaxing imagery inside your head.
2. Change the way you think and react. Instead or cursing and swearing, why don’t you just say to yourself, “It is very frustrating, but hey, it will not do any help if I get angry.”
3. Do not justify your anger by making yourself feel that there is no solution to the problem. Avoid the words “never” or “always”.
4. Believe that every problem has a solution. Focus on finding the solution than frustrating over the problem.
5. When angry, do not say the first words you think of. Slow down and think carefully of your responses and listen carefully to what the other people is saying.
6. Use humor. It can ease the tension and the anger itself. However, do not use humor to just “laugh off” the problem instead of facing it more constructively. Also, do not resort to sarcastic humor because it is not a way of dealing with anger. Instead, it is just another poor way of expressing anger.
7. Change your environment if it causes the irritation. Find alternatives.
8. Maintain a hostility log to monitor and learn about the things that cause you anger.
9. Learn to forgive. Forgiving the person who caused your anger removes your reason to be angry.
10. Get it off your chest. Tell a friend. Or tell the person who caused your anger but calmly, politely and constructively.

For more information about anger management and how it helps patients in rehab centers in California, visit http://www.paxhouse.org/CA_Drug_Treatment.html.