How to Calm Down When Upset or Angry

How to Calm Down When Upset or Angry
By BrittJohnson,

Learn How to Calm Your Anger
When you are angry or upset you need to apply one fundamental rule to calm yourself: do the opposite of what your instincts are telling you. Your entire body may be sending impulses that urge you to kick, scream and punch walls; but this will get you nowhere. When you are upset, releasing anger in a negative way will only result in more pain. The key is learning how to calm down and find peace.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need
A positive attitude
An open mind
Possibly a computer
Possibly a Journal or paper and pen

1. First and foremost, BREATHE! You cannot begin to calm down until you take a few deep breaths. While upset, you may begin to hyperventilate. If this happens, grab a paper bag, hold it over your mouth and breathe into it around 4 to 5 slow, deep breaths. Concentrate on your breathing. This technique will help you to find a center and help you to release some of that tension (the feeling that you are going to explode).

2. If a certain person is the cause of your anger, get away from them as soon as possible. You will not be able to remain calm if the person who angered you is breathing down your neck. You don't necessarily need to leave the building, another room will suffice.

3. Find a project to work on that has nothing to do with your current situation. What I mean by this is, if your angry because you have found out your spouse is cheating, don't consider snooping through his/her emails to be an adequate project. Focusing on negative will not help you to calm down but will make the situation worse (whether or not you feel it at the moment). Try working on school work or reading a book. If you have a career which send work home with you, work on that. If you have no projects to work on around the house, look on the internet. Try learning how to fold origami for instance. It doesn't really matter what the project is, just as long as it gets your mind completely off the situation that is making you upset.

4. If all else fails, write your thoughts on paper. Write out your words as if you are confronting the situation in person. This usually helps to release the feelings you have built up. This may also help you to decide if your anger is really founded. You may find that you cannot really see why you were so angry in the first place once you have thought it through. If there is a true cause, writing your feelings down will help a lot with later confrontation of the situation at hand.

5. If this situation is a constant and frequent upset for you, try learning some yoga and meditation techniques. You can find these in a fitness class or on the internet. When you find yourself upset, apply what you have learned. And don't forget to BREATHE!