ANGER

Anger is a powerful emotion that people feel from time to time when someone or something frustrates or annoys them.

There are ways to work through that anger and prevent you from hurting someone. This includes:

• Take a deep breath and breathe out hard.
• Count to 10 slowly in your mind before you open your mouth. Count another 10 if you are still feeling out of control. Stop and think about what to do or say, then make a good choice.
• Walk away and go somewhere else until you’ve thought about what you can do.
• Use your words to tell your feelings.  Never hurt someone with your hands, feet or by what you say.
• Say what you feel in a firm voice, not a loud shouting voice.
• Squeeze a pillow, a ball or your jumper really hard and say to yourself that you are squeezing out your anger.
• Release your anger in a useful way, like:
  • Use your anger to do a chore that you really hate, e.g. cleaning up your bedroom, sweeping, mowing or cleaning up the shed. You get rid of your anger and can feel good about getting that chore done too.
  • Listen to some music and dance really hard.
  • Listen to some soothing music, lie on the floor and do some relaxation exercises.
  • Talk to someone you trust about how you feel.  

Benefits of working through anger

• You can think of your problem– Thinking would help you identify if your anger is worthy or not. You can identify what is the real issue and you can work out what you are going to do to sort things out with the person or situation that started your angry feelings.
• You can avoid hurting someone– This will keep you from complications and ill-feeling of hurting someone—by words or by action.

Keeping yourself safe from other people’s anger

The best way to avoid their anger being turned on you is by not being there, or:

• Get Out of Their Way.
• Stay Calm.
• Don’t Talk.
• Don’t Get Angry Yourself.
• Don’t Shout.
• Tell a Trusted Adult if You Feel Unsafe.