How to deal with frustration

Video: 12 Ways To Overcome Frustration and Deal With Anger

Content

Steps
Method 1 of 3: Managing Upsetting Events
Method 2 of 3: Coping with long-term disappointment
Method 3 of 3: Coping with disappointments in relationships or friendships
Tips
Warnings

Frustration is a frustrating feeling that often includes angry outbursts in a useless or harmful manner. Disappointment lies in the expectation that the world and its inhabitants will behave or manifest the way you want them to. In reality, things are what they are, and no amount of ranting and letting off steam will change that. All you need to change is your point of view or angle of vision regarding the events taking place. If you are suffering from long-term frustration, apathy, or your relationship or friendship is depressing you, address the underlying issues and learn techniques to help you deal with it and put you on the path of healthy emotions.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Managing Upsetting Events

1 Examine your motives. Does it upset you when you are forced to wait or when you have nothing to do? Do you feel like you start to get angry after a direct argument or passive aggressive behavior? When you learn to recognize the types of situations that throw you off balance, or even more specific “fuses” such as traffic or certain people, you can learn to avoid such situations before they arise. Even if you cannot prevent it, you will probably be more prepared to try the following coping mechanisms.
- You can also look at more specific tips, such as how to deal with impatience or how to make people understand you.
2 Breathe deeply. Before you burst into anger or dissatisfaction, stop and take a deep breath. Count slowly to ten as you inhale and then exhale. Repeat as many times as necessary until you become calmer and more restrained.
3 Change your expectations of others. Try not to expect people to behave in a certain way. Other people's personalities have evolved from other life experiences, and they are often unwilling or unable to live up to your expectations of “correct” behavior. You don't need to be happy with other people's behavior, however, try to focus on controlling your own reactions rather than their behavior.
4 Make sure your response is reasonable. Before yelling, making a rude gesture, or offending someone, stop and play it all in your head. Ask yourself these questions to help you figure out how to respond:
- Are things really the way I see them? Has the other person noticed the same things as me?
- Can I properly express my concerns so that my needs are met?
- Are positive and polite words more likely to affect the other person in a way that helps me?
- If I accept the preferences or needs of the other person, can we interact with each other so that my needs and preferences are also met?
5 Stop seeing yourself as a victim. By perceiving yourself as a victim or expecting a reward for suffering, you can prevent yourself from responding intelligently and appreciating what the world has to offer you. If this applies to you, or if you feel worthless and sorry for yourself, start changing your point of view and behavior.

Method 2 of 3: Coping with long-term disappointment

1 Distract yourself with activities that require your full concentration. Obsessing over the frustrations or negative aspects of your life can only exacerbate the frustration, and it can later develop into a daily habit. It is not easy to get rid of this easily, so instead of directly focusing on your feelings, do something that requires your full attention. Preferably, choose an activity that makes you happy, such as sports, games, or hobbies, although even working or cleaning can be an effective distraction if it is not also the source of your frustrations.
- If you don't have a hobby, here is a collection of tips and specific suggestions for finding one.
2 Conquer procrastination. Frustration can cause apathy or a severe lack of motivation. This can lead to wasting hours on activities that are neither productive nor enjoyable, or failing to achieve goals due to procrastination. If that description fits, break the cycle with the following tips, as applicable to your situation:
- Eliminate distractions. Disconnect your phone, other electronic devices, and the Internet if you do not need them for the specific task you are working on. Clear the work area of all unnecessary items.
- Set your own deadlines and rewards. Unpleasant or difficult tasks can weaken your motivation. Build up your vigor by using positive motivation - rewarding yourself with a tasty snack, entertainment, or other reward, provided you complete the task within a mini-time frame within an hour or by the end of the day.
- Stay focused on one task at a time. Do not set yourself several tasks at once! Multitasking almost always makes every task even more difficult and more likely to make you want to dodge, so focus on one thing even if you think you're good at doing everything at once.
3 Spend time with supportive people. Find friends with whom you can talk about your frustrations, who will listen to you and not judge.If you don't have close friends with whom you feel comfortable talking about it, find someone who can keep you good company while doing depressing tasks like looking for a job or using dating sites.
4 Analyze what is upsetting you. Even if problems seem obvious, discussing them can help you uncover hidden problems, such as low self-esteem or certain anxieties. A supportive mentor or counselor can be vital to help you talk about the topic.
5 Pamper yourself. There is a very fine line between motivating and punishing yourself. When your incendiary speech starts to sound like an insult, stop trying to overpower yourself and take a break. Keep your favorite snack with you for such situations, or leave the house for a walk. Give yourself a sometimes longer respite with a bubble bath, exercise, or other activity that will make you feel refreshed and happy.
6 Keep a log of your achievements. Frustration is often accompanied by a feeling of lack of purpose or meaning, but frustrated people rarely have a realistic view of themselves. Combat this by keeping a record of all your accomplishments, including the daily quests that give you trouble. If you have trouble identifying any of your accomplishments, you may be suffering from low self-esteem. Ask a friend or family member to help you identify some of your merits.
- Only write down positive experiences. For example, if you have trouble motivating to organize the laundry, write down each time you succeed. And don't write it down when you haven't been able to motivate yourself.
7 Exercise to reduce stress. Physical activity can relieve tension and stress caused by the disorder, especially if you exercise in the right environment. Walk, jog, and hike in the natural environment, if possible. If you're not used to exercising regularly, start gradually so that you feel refreshed, but not fatigued.
- If you can't take an exercise break while working on a depressing task, take a short break instead to practice deep breathing or meditation.
8 Change your course. If a personal project or repetitive task upsets you, find another project or hobby to practice for a while. If you are frustrated with your job, use brainstorming techniques to make your job smoother, or request changes to your job responsibilities or schedule.
- Consider rotating projects so you don't experience new frustrations while you remain productive. Give each one 30-60 minutes, with a five-minute break in between.
- If your job is stressful and frustrating, consider taking a vacation or sabbatical, or even changing jobs.
9 Recognize negative behavior. Frustration often leads to thoughts and behaviors that make the situation worse. At a time when any negative situations occur, try to catch yourself on it and immediately take a break using the tips above.
- Think about what might have happened or how you would like your life to be.
- Spending a few hours doing things that are either unpleasant or unproductive, like watching a TV show you don't like.
- Sit and do nothing at all.

Method 3 of 3: Coping with disappointments in relationships or friendships

1 Don't talk while you're still angry. If you often get hurt or angry with a certain person, discussion can help mend your relationship. However, starting a discussion while one of you is still angry will likely lead to an unproductive argument. Set it aside if possible until both are softened up or calm down.Once both of you are calm, reach out to your partner and start a discussion using the following steps.
2 Pick up one issue at a time. Start a discussion by talking about a problem that is frustrating to you. Try to stay focused on the topic until you have a final and serious discussion about it. Mentioning possible root causes or related actions is fine, but try to prevent the discussion from turning into a list of things that annoy you.
3 Give the other person a chance to respond. Allow the other person to express their thoughts in detail without interrupting. Try to listen to what is being said before deciding what to answer. If you find this difficult, try repeating the other person's words to yourself to stay focused and keep your face and body facing the other person.
4 Be honest but compassionate. Be honest about how you feel and what you want to change, and ask the other person for their honest opinion as well. However, refrain from insulting or offensive comments. Use sentences that begin with "I" when talking about your feelings, rather than sentences that begin with "you", which can often sound like an accusation.
- Avoid passive-aggressive behavior, such as hiding your true emotions or insulting someone behind their back.
- Avoid sarcasm or attacks during the discussion, even in jest.
5 Discuss solutions to the problem with the other person. Try to reach a compromise to satisfy everyone. Writing a list of ideas together can help. Also, you don't have to completely solve the problem in the first discussion. If necessary, agree that the decision you have made now is temporary and set a time to discuss it in a couple of weeks and decide if it works.
6 Show your appreciation for the try. Thank the other person for trying to change their behavior. Even small changes, smaller than you would like, can lead to more serious ones, if you encourage it.