How do I deal with anger in a healthy manner?

Two things. First, I’m a Christian. I have found wonderful help in the scriptures, and getting Christian counseling.

Second, my understanding of bitterness is actually anger turned inward. It seems to me that my mother never forgave anyone in her entire life. Although she never showed it by being mean, she was still a very bitter person and eventually all those negative hormones started taking it out on her body. It literally rotted her bones.

This gave me ample reason to deal appropriately with all the injuries and injustices in my own life. I did not want to turn out like her, and at one point, I was well on my way. Thankfully I no longer carry any bitterness or anger toward her or anyone in my past. I do sometimes struggle with present day stuff, but I know how to deal with it.

I have the same issue, challenges from the past where people have harmed me when I was a vulnerable child for example. I do believe as @snowberry said that unreleased anger can cause illness in the body or mind.

I’ve sat and thought about it for a few days as I want to let it go for my own health. In fact I did not realize I was carrying around anger until I became quite sickly of late.

Cathartic methods – Talking it out to your counsellor (for short time periods only). Therapy should work if you continue. Therapy kind of makes you feel worse for a while before you feel better.

Sublimation- If you are creative turn your anger into beautiful art works, or if you are a career person play to win.

Meditation – Find videos or audios that help one release tension in the body. Keep breathing, anger is really about fear, and when we are fearful we retain our breathe. Breath from the stomach up to the chest and release.

Forgiveness – Picture those you are angry at in a happy space. Forgiveness sets you free.

Keep A Journal – Write down how you feel on a bad day. End each entry with a number of things you are grateful for.

Tell people you are angry – If you can contact the people you are angry with and say in a none aggressive way why you are angry.

Aggression and anger are different. Aggressiveness is an expression to the immediate situation, anger is more a deep wound inside of our souls.

Yes. Discharging it physically is best. Stand with your feet shoulder distance apart and imagine someone you were angry at once. Put your hand in a fist and jab backward with your elbow sharply while saying out loud, “Get off my back.”

Stand the same way and imagine yourself beating someone who made you angry top a pulp. Punch the imaginary person with your fists while saying, “Take that.”

Repeat as needed.

If your counseling isn’t working, ask for a different counselor.

@stardust Try to figure out where your anger is coming from. Other people can’t make you angry, you let them trigger anger from within you. If someone tries to piss you off and you stay serene and laugh at them it will drive them insane and you’ll still be calm. I know it’s tough to do at times, but we are in charge of our emotions, not some outsider. Try it, it works. (Just not while I’m driving.)

Ask yourself, what am I getting at being angry? What does it tell me about myself? And what would I tell myself to be happy instead of angry? Then sit still and breathe slowly and deeply for five to ten minutes. And tell yourself what you want yourself to do to make you happy.

For me I deliberately crash my Starfleet ship into anything I want to even other planets… Right now I am starving and drowning my family in the 1.2 version of the Oregon Trail. I haven’t gone so far as to put real names in the fictional Oregon family yet.

I thought I had responded to this and have just discovered that I didn’t hit “answer”. Thank you all for your replies. It’s much appreciated. I feel I know why I’m angry and it is mainly to do with past hurts. I know I’m projecting this onto other people and situations in my current life. I have been practising keeping my cool and releasing anger at the right time and in the right places. I suppose it will take time and patience. Also, I’m removing myself from people who do not add to my life in any positive way and I think this is helping. Thank you again.