#Keep it to yourself how to#

This tip requires you to practice the breathing techniques you’ve learned. “This has been shown to increase feelings of anger, as it reinforces the emotions because you end up feeling good as the result of being angry,” Dehorty explains. However, you should avoid physical activity that includes the expression of anger, such as punching walls or screaming. in some physical activity serotonin to help you calm down and feel better.” Release the anxiety or angerĭehorty recommends getting the emotional energy out with exercise. What if there’s an earthquake, and it falls into the water?” tell yourself: “There are people that walk across that bridge every day, and it has never fallen into the water.” 4. Instead of “I can’t walk across that bridge.

What’s the worst that can happen? Can I handleĪfter you go through the questions, it’s time to reframe your thinking.

When you experience one of these thoughts, stop and ask yourself the following questions: These thoughts are often the “worse-case scenario.” You might find yourself caught in the “what if” cycle, which can cause you to sabotage a lot of things in your life. Part of being anxious or angry is having irrational thoughts that don’t necessarily make sense. When you label how you’re feeling and allow yourself to express it, the anxiety and anger you’re experiencing may decrease.

Admit that you’re anxious or angryĪllow yourself to say that you’re anxious or angry.

#Keep it to yourself how to#

Practice these techniques while calm so you know how to do them when you’re anxious. Once you get comfortable with deep breathing, you can change the ratio of inhalation and exhalation to 1:2 (you slow down your exhalation so that it’s twice as long as your inhalation). Three-part breathing requires you to take one deep breath in and then exhale fully while paying attention to your body. There are various breathing techniques to help you calm down. That’s why taking long, deep calming breaths disrupts that loop and helps you calm down. Dehorty says this sends a message to your brain, causing a positive feedback loop reinforcing your fight-or-flight response. When you’re anxious or angry, you tend to take quick, shallow breaths. “Breathing is the number one and most effective technique for reducing anger and anxiety quickly,” says Scott Dehorty, LCSW-C, of Delphi Behavioral Health. Here are some helpful, actionable tips you can try the next time you need to calm down.