How to cope with anger or rage

Anger is such a common emotion in our everyday life. It can be triggered by noise, a word, a look...

Sometimes you are just driven crazy by the things that push your button, and you want to simply find a place to scream. But the issues are still there, and screaming could probably only help for a very short while. What can be effective ways to cope with anger, or even rage?

Things will never last forever. Avoid overgeneralizing that it will keep happening or there is no way out of it. Do not freak out. Things could change rapidly. 

Avoid obsessing over the "shoulds" and "musts". Things do not always go according to our expectations. If we are too insistent on how everyone else should behave, it is too easy to get disappointed and frustrated. 

Think of the positive side. Take another perspective in looking at the trigger, or the results. Are there any potential benefits? Chances are that there are indeed some positive sides that we have overlooked. 

Imagine that we are watching someone else going through our experiences as an outsider. We might be able to find a sense of humor in the situation, and laugh over it. Loosen and relax a bit instead of over-fixating on the situation. 

Things that make us angry are very often also the things that we haven't learn to grapple with. It gives us a hint on our underlying issues, such as difficulty in dealing with neglect or disrespect or self-worth. While inappropriate behaviors of others can definitely be unacceptable, getting into a rage is not the best way either.