You Mad? Don't Let Your Anger Kill You with Tyra S. Gardner

Key Points

It's normal and common for financial hardships, bullying (in the home or at work), issues with children, social media, reality TV to cause us to become angry. It also comes when we have a profound feeling a loss of control or helplessness.

Being angry takes energy, even if you don't notice it. Prolonged stress contributes to physical ailments, like migraines, heart attacks and strokes.

What You Can Do

If you are having issues at work, talk to Human Resources. They can refer you to services like LifeWorks and Magellan, that offer therapy sessions and resources to help you overcome the struggles you're facing.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness-it's a sign of strength to acknowledge that you cannot handle everything by yourself. So don't be ashamed to seek help in the form of counseling or therapy. Everyone needs help sometime, they are trained to be objective and help you work through your hardships. You can also use a therapy app like Talkspace and Better Health if you want to have a therapy experience without having to have a face-to-face appointment.

Incorporate routines that will calm you throughout the day. It could be things like yoga or hot tea.

Reduce the time you spend with difficult people as much as possible.

Tyra's 13 Anger-Taming Tips

Think before you respond.
Remain calm. Don't raise your voice.
Take a deep breath.
Never respond with anger.
Identify possible solutions. Arguing without coming to a common ground is pointless.
Exercise. This will help you burn off aggression and help you think better.
Take time and remove yourself from the situation. Walk away and calm down before you respond.
Don't hold a grudge. Let it go.
Find humor.
Practice relaxation skills. Read, listen to music, or stretch--whatever works for you.
Know when to seek help.
Stick with "I" statements.
Stay in your lane. Don't address issues that do not involve you.

These tips will take practice to implement regularly--we're talking about behavior change. Rehearse what you will do in advance so you are prepared instead of going right back into your default response. Remember--don't REACT. RESPOND.

Take your mental health as seriously as your physical health.