It’s common for us all to feel angry from time to time, but if it’s affecting your day-to-day life, you might want to look for support to deal with it.

Everyone reacts to anger in different ways. Some people may choose to hide their anger and take it out on themselves, while others may become aggressive.

Anger is often a symptom of stress and if it’s having an effect on your mental or physical health, you may benefit from looking for help.

Similarly, if it is expressed through destructive behaviour or becomes your primary emotional response, it’s a problem that needs addressing.

We’ve all experienced anger at some point in our lives and the symptoms, both physical and mental, can vary from person to person.

They include:

  • Fast heartbeat
  • Tense muscles and a tightness in your chest
  • Feeling hot, tense or nervous
  • Being unable to relax and easily irritated
  • Shouting or starting fights
  • Self-harming

Treatment will help you to recognise these symptoms at an early stage and adjust your reaction in a situation where you may normally get angry.

You can take many actions if you’re struggling to deal with anger, including speaking to someone else about your feelings, exercising regularly and doing breathing exercises.

You should try these out before seeking further help. You can find some examples of self-help strategies in the useful resources section below. It will take time to embed these into your life, so it’s important to be as patient as you can.

Talking therapies, such as counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), can help you understand how your thoughts and feelings affect your behaviours.

If you’re in a mental health crisis and need urgent help, call the Single Point of Access on (01472) 256256 and select option 3. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Alternatively, you can call NHS 111 free from a landline or mobile phone.

Alternatively, you can visit your GP who can refer you to appropriate services on your behalf.

Safespace provides instant support if you’re vulnerable and need assistance with your mental health out-of-hours. You can speak to the team using Zoom or by visiting NAViGO House on Brighowgate in Grimsby. Find the latest opening times here.

We've also teamed up with Shout 85258 to provide specialist mental health text support for North East Lincolnshire. Just text ORANGE to 85258. This is also a 24/7 service. Please note: this service is run by Shout and not be the NAViGO crisis team.

Orcha Apps Library: This library lists thousands of NHS-approved health apps by condition, making it quick and easy for you to find support.


Found a useful resource we haven't included? Know an organisation or group we could be signposting to? Contact us and let us know!