How You Express Anger (and How to Cope Better), Based on Your Zodiac Sign

Aries, the quintessential fire sign, can be quick to anger. Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet of war, so it should come as no surprise that Aries are ready for battle anytime, anywhere. This sign lives in the moment, and as such is prone to quick explosions of energy.

Try: Focusing on square breathing when you feel that Aries surge coming on.

Taurus is an earth sign and has a very earthy way of dealing with emotions. Like a volcano, level-headed Taurus is likely to let things simmer below the surface for ages before exploding. Up until that point, Taurus prefers to deal with anger by closing off. The silent treatment and cold shoulder are key parts of a Taurus’s anger arsenal.

Try: Getting those emotions out by furiously scribbling into your journal every morning.

Anger a Gemini and be ready to argue. Geminis are known for their gift of gab and love nothing more than dizzying their opponent in a war of words. When angry, Geminis need to vent, sometimes talking themselves (and the person they’re angry at) in circles trying to get their point across.

Try: Recording yourself anger spiraling into your voice memo app. Get all that rage out? Great. Now delete it.

Angry Cancers know only one way to express their emotions: sulk. The ultimate angry crier, Cancers are extremely forgiving with those they love, but not before making the other party involved go through hell to figure out what’s going on. Sensitive Cancers need to be allowed to really feel their emotions, leading to this prolonged period of withdrawing into their shell until they’re ready to talk. They are crabs, after all.

Try: Using a virtual therapy app like Talkspace so you can work through your emotions without drawing others into your anger.

Leos have a flair for the dramatic, so it should be no surprise that an angry Leo is all about bringing the drama. Yelling, epic takedowns, door slamming and couch sobbing are all part of an angry Leo’s playbook, especially when they’re feeling jealous. Leo is often called the performer of the zodiac, so if you get them upset, don’t expect anything less than an Oscar-worthy performance.

Try: Expressing yourself through writing instead of outwardly performing your emotions so you can get down to the crux of what you’re feeling—after the monologue, of course.

Cooler heads prevail with even-keeled Virgo, who is way more likely to go the passive-aggressive route than engage in a real yelling match. Virgos are less likely to let their anger get the best of them because coming at things from a place of anger is just not practical. And as an earth sign, Virgo is way too controlled to ever fly off the handle. That said, break this sign’s trust and you may find yourself on the receiving end of a rare Virgo anger explosion.

Try: Saying aloud, “I’m angry.” Feel free to even shout it. Acknowledge what’s ruffled your feathers so you can confront it, instead of stewing for a decade.

Libras are peacekeepers by nature and are way more likely to get really, really sad before they get angry. When something does send them over the edge—usually via some form of rudeness or injustice—Libras can surprise even themselves with the outburst that ensues. The thing that shouldn’t surprise anyone, however, is the post-outburst meltdown they’ll have after realizing they might have upset other people.

Try: Differentiating between sadness and anger. If it’s anger, addressing the cause instead of pretending it’s not there will bring you peace of mind in the future.

All it takes is one look from an angry Scorpio for you to know they’re pissed. Cool and calculated, Scorpios prefer the smolder to the emotional outburst, making them quite scary when upset. Rather than freak out in the moment, angry Scorpios go internal, getting eerily silent. They’re particularly deadly when someone has been caught lying, and they have no problem letting their anger simmer for years before exacting their revenge.

Try: Getting in front of your anger. Pretend you’re the cop pulling over your anger for speeding and ask yourself, “Do you know why I’m pulling you over?” If you don’t stop it early, you’ll never catch it.

Wordy Sagittarius can be very cutting when angry, knowing just what to say to tear somebody down. This whip-smart sign is more than capable of going toe-to-toe in an argument but should be wary of taking things too far. Angry Sags should also watch out that they don’t make a rash decision in the heat of the moment, as their fiery nature can often leave them with much regret once their anger subsides.

Try: Writing that wickedly mean email to no one and then deleting it once the steam coming out of your ears has cooled off.

Capricorns are masters of bottling up their emotions and can turn deadly serious when angry. They don’t see any reason to mince words or sugarcoat things, which can make those on the receiving end of their anger feel like they’re getting a really bad performance review from a boss. Bring on the lecture!

Try: Using “I feel” statements so that you lean away from the famous Capricorn diatribe. You’d be surprised how just sharing your feelings will help others understand you.

Aquarius has one answer to anger or conflict: run. When it comes to anger, Aquarius would much rather head for the hills and do their own thing than hash things out, so don’t expect to hear the words “we need to talk” from this sign anytime soon.

Try: Addressing the negative head-on. Toxic optimism can be as bad as perpetual pessimism, so call a spade a spade and move on.

This highly emotional and sensitive sign can have a very tough time expressing anger in a nonvolatile way. As empaths, Pisces are way more likely to get overwhelmed not only by their own emotions but by the emotions of everyone involved in a conflict. This can lead them to resort to some self-destructive behavior as they try to balance expressing themselves and pleasing others.

Try: Being a little selfish. Put on your oxygen mask first, Pisces. Once you’re in the right headspace, you can help others, but only then.

Jaime Wright is an astrologer based in New York. You can follow her on Instagram, @jaimeallycewright, or subscribe to her newsletter.