One of the keys to self-regulation is self-awareness about how one’s body responds to strong emotions. For example, when feeling anger or rage, many adults and adolescents say, “I just lose control”.
Being self-aware of our emotions is one simple way to keep things from spiraling out of control. Think about how your body responds to anger or frustration. Most individuals, when angry, experience one or more of these symptoms: shortness of breath, clinched fists, increase or decrease in speech volume, sweaty palms and a dry mouth.
I would challenge anyone experiencing anger or frustration to be mindful of their body and take inventory of their actions and feelings before “losing control.” If we take the time to learn the “warning signs”, we can actively engage in effective coping skills to prevent or minimize unhealthy expressions of emotions.
UofL Health – Peace Hospital offers no-cost level-of-care behavioral health assessments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information, please call our assessment and referral center at 502-451-3333.