Have an emergency bag packed and ready for a quick exit. This bag can include clothes, money, and other personal items. If the situation escalates and you feel like you are in danger, don’t be afraid to call the police.

Find a secure place to lock them away until you’re sure it’s safe, such as a locked room or even an actual safe.

Once you’re aware of the triggers, you’ll be more prepared to either help the person avoid an episode, by directing them away from the triggers or comforting them to prevent a full on attack, or make your own escape from the situation.

If the person expresses frustration at being ignored by a waiter, you can say “So you feel angry that the waiter disrespected you by not giving you his attention?”

You can find a mental health treatment center near you by searching on the following website: https://findtreatment. samhsa. gov/locator Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves teaching the person how to restructure their thoughts in order to get a handle on the anger. Relaxation training teaches progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and other techniques to help the person learn to relax. These techniques can be very effective in managing the explosive anger that comes with IED. If they are resistant to therapy, you can explain that research shows these methods to be effective. [6] X Research source

Martial arts, exercise, or even a sport like basketball can help people to channel aggression in ways that are less destructive.

Progressive muscle relaxation is another good technique, which involves tensing each muscle group in your body and then relaxing them. You can start with the toes and then work your way up to the head. Visualization can help as well. This involves imagining a calm, peaceful scenario, such as laying out at a beach. You should try to fully enter the situation and imagine what the beach is like for all of your senses.

Calmly offer to drive if he or she is experiencing road rage, and then get to a safe location as quickly as possible without breaking any driving laws.

The person may have difficulty verbalizing his or her experience in this way, so you shouldn’t always rely on this kind of reporting.

If threats of violence or actual violence come into play, distance yourself from the person and seek out help.

Additionally, IED typically shows up in late childhood and may persist for a long time. [15] X Research source