Let’s be honest. No one has their emotions in check all of the time. There are moments in everyone’s life when feelings overwhelm us and rational thinking goes out the door. This is because when we are highly emotional, the logical part of our brains can be overridden by the emotional part of our brains.
Have you ever seen a little kid chuck a tantrum in shopping centre? The kid might be yelling and throwing their arms and legs around, completely oblivious to the people watching.
Now ask yourself, have you ever seen a teenager or adult do that? Hopefully, the answer is no.
Most of us learn that there are better ways to manage anger than throwing yourself on the floor and yelling at the top of your lungs. It may be normal for a three-year-old, but it certainly isn’t for anyone past the age of eight or nine. As we grow, we learn.
But sometimes controlling our temper is a hard lesson to learn, one that can take us well into adulthood.
Here are some common signs of someone who has a trouble managing their temper:
- Becoming angry or violent quickly when something upsetting happens.
- Getting angry when things don’t go right
- Struggling to talk about anger and other emotions calmly
- Flaring up over small issues
- Being uncontrollably aggressive towards others
- It’s affecting relationships
Admitting that you may have a problem with anger isn’t easy, but it’s often the first step towards change. The good news is that there are some proven ways to take back control. These strategies work best if you stick with them – so don’t give up!