Here are some quick things to consider:
If there is nothing else you can do right this moment, don’t do anything to make it worse. If you can hold off on doing anything to make your situation worse, consider your options:
Is there something you can do right now to improve the moment, make the situation better, or behave with self respect?
Sometimes when people feel out of control, they feel a very intense urge to fix or change the situation right this moment. However, some situations can’t be changed right this moment. But the feeling of NOT doing anything sometimes generates a significant amount of anxiety.
If you can’t do anything to fix or solve the situation right this moment, and if you can’t afford to make it worse, what can you do to practice acknowledging the situation as it is; right now, just in this moment. (Note: accepting something is happening doesn’t mean you approve of it)
Consider this: Do your emotions get in your way of problem solving? Sometimes, when emotions are too intense or extreme, they interfere with people’s ability to be effective in impacting change.
Consider this: Is the Out Of Control feeling just a feeling, or is it an action? While Out Of Control feelings are in and of themselves not problematic, Out Of Control Actions can often generate more Out Of Control Situations.
There is actually a type of therapy called “Exposure” where people practice Out Of Control feelings without behaving in Out Of Control ways. It is quite effective in getting people, ironically, Back In Control Of Themselves.