Heaven and hell aren’t places
That we go occupy after death
It is in every moment of our day
We live them in every breath

Hell has its gates open wide
For those weary, lost travellers
It soon becomes home for those
Living out their anger, hate and fears

Heaven isn’t too hard to achieve
But its gates aren’t open either
The gates are closed, locked
To be opened by someone who bothers

The lock is nothing but anger
The fury which builds in a heart
The emotion which keeps you in hell
The emotion which tears you apart

When things don’t go your way
When everything is just so wrong
Let your heart be free of anger
And you’ll be in heaven before long

Everytime you’re angry, think again
And let forgiveness take its place
Think of joy, think of love
And let the feelings show on your face

It isn’t so difficult
And smiles are never too far
When love is all that fills your heart
You’ll find Heaven’s doors opened ajar

Anger is one of the most damaging of all emotions, capable of undoing years of hard work, and breaking precious hearts in a matter of moments. Capable of wreaking havoc with the body of the angry. But it still rules the minds of so many. Why?

A closer analysis of anger subconsciously gives people a sense of control and gets things done their way. Eventually, it becomes a way of life, and when their anger starts hurting loved ones, they find themselves unable to change.

The Damage to Health
Getting angry is quite like drinking too much alcohol. You’re completely out of control and it feels good, because sometimes people get tired of controlling themselves. It also sends the adrenal glands into an overdrive, flooding the body with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisone.

Adrenaline increases the heartbeat and breathing rates, elevates blood pressure and raises metabolic rates. It prepares the body for a fight or flight response, shuts down the digestive system (which is why, anger during or immediately after meals is the most damaging) and prepares muscles for physical exertion.

Cortisone increases blood pressure, mobilizes fat and glucose, subdues allergic reactions, reduces inflammation and can decrease the number of some white blood cells that are involved in dealing with invading particles or bacteria. Consequently, increased cortisone levels over a prolonged period of time lowers the efficiency of the immune system and makes a person potentially more susceptible to infections and even to cancer.

What not to do
While we know that outbursts of anger are damaging, suppressing anger is also equally damaging, and its effects show up in the long run. Anger should neither be released in an outburst, nor suppressed. It should be managed.

Managing Anger
Getting rid of anger is not an easy job, and not a quick one. It takes time, patience and determination. One needs to take it one step at a time, one outburst at a time. If you could get someone to record an outburst, you would realise how frivolous and ridiculous you are when you get angry. You say things that you don’t mean, and probably don’t remember after you have cooled down. But your loved ones do.

Walk Away
When you get angry, just walk away. Take a walk, go for a run, or physically exert yourself until you are calm.

Write A Letter
When you’re angry, there are a million things you want to tell the person in front of you. Instead of screaming it in their face, write it all down in a letter, but do not give it to them until you are calm. Once calm, you’ll probably want to burn the letter.

Analyse
Ask yourself why you are angry. And whom you are angry with. Is it really worth fighting with someone you love? Or is it really worth risking your job?

The Long Term Solutions
Meditate
Meditation helps you keep your mind in control. It also makes you more relaxed, and thereby less prone to getting angry.

Replay
Whenever you have had an outburst or have controlled your anger, replay the events of the day in your mind. Analyse and ask yourself what you could/ should have done, and how you behaved. Resolve to do better next time.

Deal with It
If you were angry for a valid reason, deal with the situation. Once you have calmed down, let the other person know the reason for your anger and how you would like things to be. Clarify, discuss, and reach a conclusion. Always let the other person know that you were angry and what made you angry.

Finally
An angry outburst is not justified irrespective of the reason for the anger. It might be something trivial and silly, or something grave and important, but an outburst is not the way to handle it. First calm down, and then deal with the situation with proper thinking and planning. This will get you the most effective results. The key phrase here is Respond, not React