As difficult as it is, anger is a normal part of life. Like most emotions, it is neither good nor bad and alerts your body to respond to a particular situation. The problem becomes if your reaction is to explode with anger to the point of harming yourself or others. The sad reality is that, as much as feel the need to vent our anger, it is likely to have a more negative impact on people’s perception of you, impair your judgement, and get in the way.

Not only can anger flare ups affect your personal life, but also your physical and mental health, career, and relationships. High levels of anger and stress can lead to heart disease, a weakened immune system, insomnia, and high blood pressure. All of these health issues can have serious, long term implications. Your mental health suffers when your mind is clouded by feelings of anger, leading to depression, stress, and other issues. In your career, constructive criticism and creative differences are bound to happen. If you lash out, it can create tension and they could have a hard time respecting and trusting you. In relationships, anger can cause lasting problems that make it hard for people to trust you, speak with you, or feel comfortable. This is especially true with children. Being able to control your anger is crucial to living an all around healthier lifestyle.

Anger management techniques can be very helpful in controlling anger and learning how to deal with it. The goal is to understand the emotion and express it in a healthy way without losing control. This is not an immediate process and takes conscious effort, but the more you practice, the easier it will become. The payoff is huge.