Anger management: How to lengthen a short fuse

"Anybody can become angry - that is easy. But, to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy." Aristotle presents us with a difficult challenge. Of course, we all become angry at one time or another. Indeed, anger is a part of being human and at times is an appropriate and functional response. However, there can be times when our tempers get the better of us - when our anger is ignited too quickly, and our explosions can cause damage that we later regret.

In this article, we'll explore some strategies to 'lengthen our fuse' a little. Thus, delaying the anger explosion and giving us time to assess the situation (and to see if we can meet Aristotle's challenge).

3 ways to keep your cool

So, how do you go about lengthening your anger fuse? Well, there are three stages in total, and the first starts before the fuse is even lit.

1. Don't strike the match

This stage involves us recognising our 'triggers' and doing our best to avoid them if possible. Anger triggers tend to be events or experiences that we perceive as being threats to ourselves or our property (being pushed or bumped on public transport), our self-image or esteem (being called a liar) or getting our needs met (people not listening). If we are aware of the types of things that 'strike our match', we can do our best to avoid them and reduce the chance of an explosion.

2. Lengthen your fuse

It is not always possible to completely avoid our anger triggers. Sometimes, our match will be struck. It is at these times when we need to use alternative ways to react to our triggers. This involves looking at what we are thinking about the trigger, allowing us to lengthen our fuse and give us more time to react.

For example, if someone steps on your foot on a bus and you think 'they did that on purpose, they want to pick a fight.' The resultant feeling may well be anger. However, if in the same situation, you think 'they must have lost their balance, someone may have bumped into them', the resultant feeling may not be anger but sympathy or simply indifference. If we can spend time questioning our perception of our trigger, we give ourselves more time to pick an appropriate and helpful response.

3. Dampen your fuse

This involves employing strategies to reduce our levels of physical arousal when our matches are struck. These may include walking away from the incident, taking deep breaths, clenching and relaxing muscles, or anything that can slow our heart rate and induce a physical sense of calm.

These simple techniques can be an effective path to feeling more in control of our anger. The more we practice, the more in control we are likely to feel.

For more help and support, contact a therapist who deals with anger management.