On a spectrum of feelings in a relationship, if love and harmony are considered something to aspire to, anger is considered inexpedient. That’s why many couples are constantly in search of an answer to how to control anger in a relationship.
Anger is a natural and inevitable part of any romantic partnership. When two people share their lives so intimately, there are bound to be clashes and disagreements. When such situations arise, the focus should be on dealing with them the right way rather than suppressing your feelings out of the ‘anger is ruining my relationship’ fear.
Unresolved anger in a marriage or relationship can have far more damaging consequences than letting it out. That’s why when you work toward controlling anger in a relationship, the endeavour should be to process it correctly and not let it pent up.
Before we try to understand the place of anger in a relationship, let’s delve into what anger really is. This emotion is largely misunderstood as a negative feeling that can wreak havoc on romantic partnerships. Anger is also often regarded as the opposite of love. The belief that anger damages relationships is typically rooted in the belief that when you express your anger toward someone, you cannot love them.
In reality, all of these notions associated with angry feelings are incorrect. Anger is just another human emotion that cannot be dispensed or done away with completely. It does not necessarily spell doom for your relationship, if it did, no couple in the world would be able to survive. What really matters is how you control jealousy or anger in a relationship, instead of trying to avoid it altogether.
While it’s normal, the reasons largely determine the validity of your anger/response. If you get angry quickly in your relationship and lose your temper over the smallest of things, it isn’t going to be smooth sailing for anyone involved. To maintain harmony and not cause harm, understanding how to control a short temper in a relationship is vital.
Understand the reasons for anger in relationships
This tendency to lash out when things are not going your way is a manifestation of projecting your own angry feelings onto your partner and relationship. That’s neither valid nor healthy. Since external factors do get the better of us most of the time, all of us could use some tips on how to control anger in a relationship.
The key to controlling anger and sadness in a way that doesn’t damage or adversely impact your relationship is to treat it as a symptom that will allow you to get to the bottom of underlying issues that need to be worked out.
Even if one accepts the fact that it is normal to feel angry in a relationship, there is no denying the fact that it is an exceedingly unpleasant place to be in. Besides, the way most couples channelize these emotions is what causes anger issues in a relationship to be chronic. The bottom line is that anger in itself is not the problem. It is the inability to control anger and draw the line between fighting fair in a relationship and dealing low blows that’s problematic. That’s when anger damages relationships.
The key is to remember that your feelings of anger are perfectly acceptable and must be allowed to flow freely in your consciousness. However, the same principle does not apply to your actions. You are 100% responsible and accountable for your actions and behaviour irrespective of your state of mind. That’s why learning how to control anger in a relationship becomes even more vital.
If you’re wondering “How do I stop being angry with my SO all the time?” These twelve tips to tame your tempers will make you better poised to control anger and sadness in your relationship:
- Don’t direct your rage at your partner
Never act or speak while in the throes of anger. Wait for 20 minutes before reacting. Take deep breaths and sit down in a comfortable spot. Once you feel your breathing normalizing, reimagine the situation that triggered your temper. Then ask yourself, if your emotional response was/is legitimate and reasonable.”
Of course, it takes a great deal of self-control and practice to be able to contain your angry emotions within. To get started, you could experiment with different creative ways to diffuse anger such as taking a walk, turning up some music, baking, stepping out for some fresh air.
Distance yourself from the situation that angered you. If your partner is demanding an answer from you right that very instant, try to calmly make him/her understand that you need some personal space to better process the situation. If you get angry quickly, things will go from bad to worse. Indulging in an activity that brings you joy and happiness can help you centre your mind and process your feelings more pragmatically.
- Understand why you feel angry
“If the answer to the above is yes, then make a list (by yourself) about why you felt/feel the way you do. Read it out loud to yourself. Does that make sense?”
Overreacting when you’re full of rage at your partner is not completely unheard of. We’ve all been in situations where someone’s actions or words triggered us unreasonably because we attached unnecessary meaning to them. Or interpreted them with the baggage of our own prejudices and preconceived notions.
As such, journaling your thoughts and reading them aloud can be one of the effective and creative ways to diffuse anger. It allows you to distance yourself from your own emotions, and view them as dispassionately as possible.
- Talk it out with your partner
“If yes, then ask your partner when it is a good time for you to talk to them about something important that matters to you. Try and mutually agree upon a time that is reasonable to both of you.”
Even if your reasons for feeling angry do not make sense to you after you’ve had a chance to process your emotions, reach out to your partner anyhow. Own your part in aggravating a situation or reacting in a less than pleasant manner. After all, that’s what fighting fair in a relationship is all about.
- Communicate effectively
One of the key elements of the ‘how to control anger in a relationship’ puzzle is to communicate effectively. When you’re angry and hurting, communications hurdles can get amplified manifold. Especially, if you’re speaking to prove a point, win an argument, score over the other.
“Once you sit down to discuss, address each of your points with each other and give your partner the opportunity to explain their side of the argument. Let them finish what they have to say”.
- Express disagreements calmly
“Express your disagreements, if there are any, only after you have heard each other out for every point you listed,” she adds. This allows you to approach your differences in a calm, collected and matter-of-fact way and diffuse a potentially volatile situation.
If you fret over the realization that ‘anger is ruining my relationship’, a simple change in how you approach disagreements can make a huge difference. Commit to eliminating saying hurtful things, using cuss words or resorting to verbal abuse during arguments. If you’re trying to control anger in a long-distance relationship, remaining calm is paramount. Once the calmness has been compromised, it may make matters a lot worse.
When you look closely at how anger damages relationships, these are the most common culprits. While you allow yourself to feel the full extent of your angry feelings, don’t channelize them toward your partner unfiltered.
- Your anger belongs to you
No matter what the reasons for anger in relationships, you must find a way to own your emotions. Unresolved anger in a marriage or a relationship may be directed at your partner, but since it stems from you, it also says something about your state of mind.
This is not to suggest that your complaints about your partner are not valid or all their actions are justified. They may be in the wrong. Even so, the actions may be theirs but the reaction is yours. That’s why the key to how to control anger in a relationship is to own it.
Once you own your anger, you can focus on yourself rather than your partner. Again, this is not to suggest that your partner is right and you’re wrong or vice-versa. Instead, the idea is that when both partners focus on their own role in a situation, they are best poised to express themselves more clearly and work together to explore possible solutions.
- Look for solutions
How to control anger in a relationship? The simple answer is to remember that anger doesn’t solve anything. If anything, it makes situations worse. Now that you’ve taken another step to own and control anger in a relationship, the focus must shift on resolving the issue that triggered this emotion.
This is particularly helpful when there is unresolved anger in a marriage or relationship. Or when you’re caught in the loop of having the same fights over and over. Sophie and Tracy both work long hours, often at different times of the day. Sophie expected that she and her partner would eat at least one meal together. Tracy thought it was unreasonable to place such pre-requisites in a relationship.
This small, albeit persistent, difference of opinion had become the source of chronic anger issues in the relationship. Many fights and heated arguments later, they sat down to truly find a middle ground rather than each stubbornly holding on to their stance.
Eventually, they decided that they’d eat breakfast together on at least three weekdays. For dinner, Sophie would check in with Tracy, and if the latter was free, they could quickly grab a bite together. If not, the former won’t hold a grudge.
- Use ‘I’ statements
This tip on how to control anger in a relationship is essentially an extension of owning your emotions. To convey it to your partner without placing blame or coming across as critical, it’s imperative to stick to ‘I’ statements.
‘I felt bad that you didn’t show up on time,’ for instance, is far more effective than saying ‘You are always late. It’s pointless to expect anything from you.’ The first statement opens channels for communication. The second only makes the other person defensive, leaving you trapped in a vicious cycle of arguments that lead nowhere.
It’s hard to think about what you’re saying and what you need to say when you’re angry, but that’s when point number 1 steps in again. Disengage yourself, take your time and have a constructive conversation. If you want to control anger in a long-distance relationship, this method will always help.
- Let go of grudges
Forgiveness in a relationship can be an effective tool for countering anger issues in a relationship. If you hold grudges for past actions, mistakes and slip-ups, you will inevitably find yourself consumed by a sense of bitterness and injustice. Once you have resolved a fight and moved on, leave that issue or instance behind.
Don’t rake it up every time you and your partner get into an argument. ‘What about the time you forgot our anniversary?’ ‘You stood me up in front of my friends six years ago.’ ‘You used to spend hours stalking your ex on social media.’
By repeatedly throwing around statements like these, you are essentially not letting old wounds heal. Every time you bring up past issues, you will experience the anger, hurt and sadness associated with them all over again. It will only aggravate the anger you’re feeling in the moment.
On the other hand, by forgiving your partner and letting go of the past in true earnest, you foster an environment where every fight becomes an opportunity to strengthen your relationship.
- Cut anger with humour
Any angry situation can seem less towering and more manageable if you can find a way to laugh about it. That’s why lightening up is among the creative ways to diffuse anger and tension. This can be particularly helpful when you’re dealing with a usual flaring of tempers over unmet expectations or feeling disappointed in your partner.
Likewise, if your partner tries to use humour to get through to you when you’re angry, play along as long as the issue at hand is not grave. However, in doing so, it’s vital to differentiate between sarcasm and humour. Sarcastic comments only hurt feelings and can make a delicate situation even worse.
- Seek help when necessary
If you just cannot figure out how to control anger in a relationship, and it is damaging your bond with your partner, it may be an indication that you need help. This is especially crucial if you tend to spiral out of control when angry, doing things you regret later or hurting your SO emotionally or physically.
In such cases, anger issues in a relationship are a symptom of deep underlying issues. A trained therapist can help identify them and equip you with the right coping techniques. The secret to how to control anger in a relationship is to not get carried away in the spate of emotions. Process your angry thoughts, filter your words, and approach the situation as calmly as possible. Instead of asking yourself “How do I stop being angry at me SO?”, work on the feelings, express your emotions calmly and in no time you’ll be able to control a short temper in a relationship.
