Using relaxation techniques. Another way to help you control your anger is to intentionally induce yourself to a state of calm. This can help especially in addressing the physical symptoms of anger. Relaxation techniques that you can do include: number one, breathing exercises. Deliberately controlling your breathing can help a person calm down. Ways to do this include breathing through one’s nose and exhaling through one’s mouth, breathing from one’s diaphragm, and breathing rhythmically. Number two: meditation. Meditation is a way of exercising mental discipline. Most meditation techniques involve increasing self-awareness, monitoring thoughts, and focusing. Meditation techniques include prayer, the repetition of a mantra, and relaxing movement or postures. Number three: progressive muscle relaxation, PMR. PMR is a technique of stress management that involves mentally inducing your muscles to tense and relax. PMR usually focuses on areas of the body where tension is commonly felt, such as the head, shoulders, and chest area. It’s a way to exercise the power of the mind over the body. Number four: visualization. Visualization is the use of mental imagery to induce relaxation. Some visualization exercises involve picturing a place of serenity and comfort such as a beach or a garden. Other visualization exercises involve imagining the release of anger in a metaphorical form. An example of this latter kind of visualization is imagining one’s anger as a ball to be released to space. Number five: music. Some people find listening to music as very relaxing. The kind of music that’s calming differs from person to person. Traditional relaxation music includes classical pieces, acoustic sounds, and even ambient noises. Number six: arts and crafts. There are people who find working with their hands is a good way to relax. This is especially true for people who feel their tensions in their hands. Drawing pictures, paper construction, and sculpting are just some of the ways to de-stress when faced with an anger trigger. Arts and crafts are helpful because it keeps a person from obsessing on the anger while he or she is still in the recovery phase of the anger cycle.
