Things You'll Need:
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Step 1
Recognize the expressions of anger. Women may express anger through the emotional or physical abuse of others. These are oftentimes partners or children, who make safe targets, while the actual causes of the anger are not attacked. More frequently, anger in women is more passive and is turned inward against themselves--it then finds expressions in feelings of guilt or resentment.
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Step 2
Validate anger as an emotion. Lois Frankel, Ph.D. explains that women in particular have historically been told by physicians and mental health therapists that their feelings of anger are either merely part of their imagination or brought on by hormonal changes in their bodies. This advice prevents women from accepting the presence of anger and dealing with it.
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Step 3
Uncover anger triggers. The anger may have been simmering for years or even decades. The emotion could date back to the time of growing up, if there was a parent with passive aggressive or explosive tendencies, and a recent event may have unleashed it. Financial distress during an economic downturn can be one of the triggers that leads to sudden or frequent expressions of anger.
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Step 4
Eat a healthy diet. Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN nurse practitioner, explains that an unhealthy diet is a contributory factor to anger triggers. She emphasizes the importance of eating consistent and balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. Missing a meal results in mood-altering hunger; opting for an unhealthy meal consisting of processed foods can also lead to overall irritation brought on by an overproduction of bile by the liver.
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Step 5
Find positive ways of expressing anger. Journal writing is an excellent method for blowing off some steam and is useful in tracking down the possible root causes for the latest angry outburst. Pounding a punching bag, hitting a pillow or screaming loudly within the privacy of the car is acceptable. Venting anger against another person is inappropriate.
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Step 6
Deal with the cause of the anger. Helping anger in women requires a careful untangling of angry behavior to discover the root source of the anger. When women learn how to control the behavior, they are better able to react to what causes the anger and deal with it.
