How do I keep myself from overreacting?

Overreacting is a very common thing to do. I can be hard to keep from overrating but the easiest way is to think about the situation you're in and then think about how that situation will affect your life in 5 years. Usually you find that the situation really doesn't affect you all that much and it relaxes you and shows you how insignificant that situation actually is.

Sometimes it's important to take a deep breath, briefly remove yourself from the situation (whether it's stepping out of the room or calling someone back later), and let yourself calm down. Once you feel you can think straight again, without immediate emotions of anger or frustration clouding your judgement, you should be much better able to assess the situation and react appropriately.

First of all, it's okay to feel how you feel. We can't control our initial emotional responses. In my experience, taking a deep breath and stepping back when you feel the urge to overreact can help. Take a little break and check the facts of the situation. Think about how someone else would react in that instance and proceed mindfully. It may take time and multiple attempts to make a wise mind decision. That's okay, you can do this.

I keep myself from overreacting by keeping myself detached emotionally. I am supposed to be an independent observer of someone's emotional and mental states as reflected in what he/she is writing. There could be a storm figuratively raging in him/her but I see myself as someone behind a heavy glass window simply watching and even fascinated by the fury of the storm outside.

There are two kinds of overreacting: internal and external. External overreactions are actions and behaviours that other people can see, while Internal overreactions are emotional responses that others may or may not notice. things that one can do to avoid overreacting are: Be aware of cognitive distortions- Cognitive distortions are automatic thinking patterns that cause the person to distort reality. For people who have overreactions, it is typically because of negative or highly self-critical judgement that makes a person feel negatively about his or herself. Unless a person learns to recognize a cognitive distortion, he or she will continue to react in a way that does not reflect reality. Take a deep breath before responding- Pausing to take a breath allows you time to consider possible alternatives. It may disengage you from automatic thought patterns. Breathe in through the nose for a count of four; hold the breath for a count of three, then slowly breathe out through the mouth for a count of five. Identify patterns in your overreactions- Most people have "triggers," which may generate emotional overreactions. Common triggers include envy, rejection, criticism, and control. By learning more about your own triggers, you'll be more likely to control your emotional reactions to them. Take care of yourself- healthy living involving eating healthy and nutritious food & exercising regularly that will help an individual deal better with one’s emotions and thoughts.

The best way to over reacting is truly to remember to be calm, and think about your situation. Be reflective. Talk to a friend who will listen. A different perspective may help and most often you knew the answers all along like Dorothy and her red shoes. Journal and help sort out where to from here.....make a plan and find ro sources along the way....

Remember to keep yourself calm and remember to allow yourself to think before reacting to something first.

I count 1-10 and then do some breathing exercises. If that doesn't work, I go take a walk. Also, I listen to some music to calm myself down.

When a situation arises that may cause you to overreact, think to yourself what the correct reaction to this situation might be. Think about what overreacting might do to the situation and just try and think before you do anything drastic.

Sometimes you can't. You may just be a confrontational or dramatic person, and you should be comfortable with that. However, if these tendencies do seem to be negatively influencing your life, just try and identify what things in particular evoke negative reaction and try and isolate them from your life.