Anger Management

[lupestripe]

Over the last week or so I have had real difficulty controlling my own frustration. I get stressed too easily and this sometimes manifests itself as a boiling anger deep inside me. Over the last few days, I have probably said and done a few things that in retrospect I regret (nothing so bad as to be unresolvable though) but I am concerned that without a suitable release, these feelings are merely going to build and the situation will get worse.

I appreciate that all I am doing is lashing out against how I feel about myself but does anyone have any ways of controlling these destructive emotions? I go to the gym regularly, which does help, and I am starting to learn another language from tomorrow. I am hoping that by keeping my brain and body active, I won't have the energy to entertain these feelings. I should also meditate more but it is finding the time amidst my ridiculous (on average 55 hours a week, 6 days a week) work schedule.

I know a lot of the time I'm a warm, caring person and it distresses me that sometimes I feel so pent up that I resort to anger and bitterness. This gets me down as I pride myself as being a tolerant and decent person who tries his best to help others irrespective of how I am feeling myself. Perhaps just accepting it and not letting it get me down is a good place to start.

So how do you vent your anger and frustration and how do you stop it preying on your mind?

Comments

[symphonic-rp.livejournal.com]

How do I vent? Well, I usually write and angry rant about whatever's bugging me. This is kind of like yelling and screaming without actually doing so.

Sometimes I publish these in my journal if I feel there is anything to benefit anyone else in them, or if I feel a need for others to know what state of mind I'm in. But most often I don't publish them. Usually just hashing it out in text is enough of a release.

How do I keep things from preying on my mind? Only one thing helps here. Distraction. I must force my mind to give constant attention to other things. Creative projects, reading, watching movies, listening to engrossing music, whatever you've got to keep your mind from being idol until the obsession passes.

No matter what your mind is obsessing over, there is always something more important to you, something more attractive and emotionally settling you can apply your mind to. And every moment you keep yourself from thinking about what's making you angry, your mind is healing.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

The problem I have with distraction is that you can only do that for so much before the fundamental, underlying issue bites you on the ass, albeit in another form. Is it good to ignore your problems? I am not sure, as keeping yourself busy means you never relax and you could exasperate the situation. I tried doing this before and sometimes it worked, other times it didn't.

I used to write a lot of poetry and stuff, typical teen angst etc, but rarely find the time now. I am working on a story but haven't had time to put into that really either, which is frustrating as I would really like to.