WRITING your feelings down on paper and throwing it away can help you get rid of anger “almost completely,” a study shows.
Simple trick reduces anger after being insulted, Japanese researchers have found.
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It could help manage your feelings and be used at work to avoid arguments with co-workers, they said.
Dr Nobuyuki Kawai of Nagoya University said: “We expected our method to suppress anger to a certain extent.
“However, we were surprised to see that the rabies was almost completely eliminated.
“This technique can be applied in the moment, writing down the source of anger, as if taking a memo and then throwing it away when someone feels angry in a business situation.”
About one in five people have had anger issues or have difficulty controlling it, according to Gitnux.
Almost a quarter of Brits cited anger as a significant cause of workplace stress.
Uncontrolled anger can lead to a range of physical and mental health problems, including an increased risk of stroke.
The NHS recommends talking to a GP who can refer you to a local anger management program or counseling if you need help dealing with your anger.
The study, published in Scientific Reportslooked at techniques that can be used to help control emotion.
Researchers recruited 57 college students and measured their anger levels before and after being insulted, asking them how angry, bothered, irritated, hostile, and irritated they were on a six-point scale.
They were then asked to write down their feelings on a piece of paper, before being divided into three groups.
One shredded the paper, another threw it in the trash and the third didn’t discard it.
People in all three groups saw their anger levels drop significantly after writing down their emotions.
However, the groups that got rid of the paper later saw their levels drop even further.
Dr. Kawai said, “The subjective anger of the discard group decreased as much as in the baseline period, while that of the retention group was still higher than in the baseline period in both experiments.
“We propose this method as a powerful and simple way to eliminate anger.”
What to do and what not to do when dealing with anger, according to the NHS
To do:
- try to recognize when you start to feel angry so you can take steps to calm down as soon as possible
- take time to think before reacting – try counting to 10 and doing calming breathing exercises
- talk to people about what is making you angry – talk to someone who is not connected to the situation, such as a friend, a family doctor or a support group like the Samaritans
- exercise – activities such as running, walking, swimming and yoga can help you relax and reduce stress
- discover how to increase your self-esteem, including how to be more assertive
- consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help others. Find out more about peer support on the Mind website
- listen to free audio guides on mental well-being
- Try self-help cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques from the Every Mind Matters website to manage unhelpful thoughts, reframe situations, solve problems, and deal with stress
No:
- don’t try to do everything at once; set small goals that you can easily achieve
- Don’t focus on things you can’t change. Focus your time and energy on helping yourself feel better
- Try not to tell yourself you are alone – most people get angry sometimes and there is support available
- try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve anger – all of which can contribute to mental health problems
Source: The National Health Service
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