Feeling angry is natural. But for people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), their anger may be so intense that it often feels uncontrollable. Anger is one of the key symptoms of BPD, and it can often lead to self-injurious behavior such as cutting or burning.
While it can feel like your anger is impossible to control, there are ways that you can manage your anger even if you have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder:
1. Take a Breather. When you notice yourself starting to become angry, take a break from the situation or person that is causing you to be angry and regroup. Take as much time as you need to calm down and look at the situation from a different perspective. You may discover that you had nothing to be angry about after all.
2. Find Ways to Be Calm. Find whatever it is that makes you calm and turn to that when you feel anger creeping in. Listen to soothing music, take your dog for a walk, meditate or watch your favorite movie.
3. Communicate Your Feelings. People with BPD may have a difficult time communicating how they feel, causing anger to build up and turn into rage. Instead of letting your anger get to that point, find a way to communicate your emotions. That can be done through talking to a trusted friend, journaling or discussing the situation with the person who caused you to be angry.
4. Change Your Environment. If what is making you angry is something you can change, then change it. There is no use getting angry when you can prevent what is causing your anger from happening again. Take stock of what is causing you to be angry and see if you can do something about it.
5. Get Support. If you find that you can’t seem to manage your anger on your own, get help through a therapist or anger management group. You will learn techniques that can help you to better manage those situations that cause you anger. Effective BPD treatment will help you learn to manage your anger so that you don’t feel so out of control.