This application provides a congestion control method and an apparatus. According to the method, a control node may determine that a data processing node is in a congested state, where the data processing node is configured to process data sent by a terminal apparatus. The control node may send a first message to a first terminal apparatus corresponding to a terminal apparatus identifier in a list stored in the control node. The first terminal apparatus identifier in the list is of the first terminal apparatus in a first terminal apparatus abnormal state. The first terminal apparatus identifier is received by the control node. The first message indicates to release a user plane connection, and the user plane connection is used to transmit data of the first terminal apparatus.