Struggling with Anger and Wanting to Change, Seeking Advice
Assalamu alaikum. I'm an 18-year-old Muslim living in the US, and I'm really struggling with anger and recklessness. I have a very short temper. I get angry at people super easily and often end up saying harsh things or using hurtful words when I'm upset. I also have a bad habit of quickly insulting or snapping at my siblings or friends when they annoy me, and I can react really strongly to things that bother me, which other people say is too much. I listen to Quran to try and calm down, which helps for a bit, but then I find myself getting angry again over something else. People have tried to give me advice, but sometimes it just feels vague, like just being told 'don't get angry' without knowing *how* to actually work on it. This has been a problem since I was a kid – arguing at home and at school – and it feels like it mostly comes from just having a short fuse and getting too easily drawn into conflict. Seeing the injustice and negative propaganda against Muslims around the world makes these feelings even harder to manage sometimes, and it adds to the frustration. I know this behavior isn't right and I genuinely want to change and handle my emotions in a better, more Islamic way. I was hoping to get some sincere, practical advice from my brothers and sisters. Jazakum Allahu khayran.