[originaltext] Bad as well as good moods spice life and build character. The

Bad as well as good moods spice life and build character. The key is balance.
    We often have little control over when we are swept by emotion. But we can hove some say in how long that emotion will last. Psychologist Dianne Tice of Case Western Reserve University asked more than 400 men and women about their strategies for escaping bad moods. Her research, along with that of other psychologists, provides valuable information on how to change a bad mood.
    Of all the moods that people want to escape, rage seems to be the hardest to deal with. When someone in another car cuts you off on the highway, your thought may be, That jerk ! He could have hit me ! I can’t let him get away with that! The more you stew, the angrier you get. Such is the stuff of hypertension and reckless driving.
    What should you do to relieve rage? One myth is that ventilating will make you feel better. In fact, researchers have found that’s one of the worst strategies. Outbursts of rage pump up the brain’s arousal system, leaving you much angrier, not less.
    A more effective technique is "reframing," which means consciously reinterpreting a situation in a more positive light. In the case of the driver who cuts you off, you might tell yourself: Maybe he had some emergency. This is one of the most potent ways, Tice found, to put anger to rest.
    Going off alone to cool down is also an effective way to defuse anger, especially if you can not think clearly. Tice found that a large proportion of men cool down by going for a drive—a finding that inspired her to drive more defensively. A safer alternative is exercise, such as taking a long walk. Whatever you do, don’t waste time pursuing your train of angry thoughts.
    Your aim should be to distract yourself.
    The techniques of reframing and distraction can alleviate depression and anxiety as well as anger. Add to them such relaxation techniques as deep breathing and meditation and you have a store of weapons against bad moods. "Praying, "Dianne Tice also says, "works for all moods."