Understanding Anger Management Counseling And How To Get Started
Anger is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. Whether it's due to a delayed flight, a disagreement with a loved one, or an unexpected event at work, there are moments when irritation boils over into anger. However, when anger becomes frequent, intense, or disproportionate, it may begin to affect relationships, work, and physical health. In this article, we’ll explore the nature of persistent or uncontrolled anger and how anger management counseling can help.
Understanding anger
Anger isn’t inherently a bad thing. It can be a powerful emotion that can motivate change or highlight that something in our environment feels unjust or threatening. However, when anger spirals out of control, it can lead to negative consequences, both physically and emotionally. While occasional frustration is typically a natural response, .
Types of anger issues
Anger can manifest in various forms, and recognizing these types is often the first step in addressing the issue:
- Passive anger: Individuals may not outwardly express their frustration, but it can fester internally. Passive-aggressive behavior, such as sarcasm or the silent treatment, often signals this form of anger.
- Aggressive anger: This type of anger can be explosive and result in verbal or even physical confrontations. Often the most visible type of anger, aggressive anger may be easy to identify but hard to control.
- Chronic anger: People with chronic anger often feel angry most of the time. Their constant irritability can affect daily interactions and relationships, leading to long-term consequences such as alienation from friends or family.
- Self-directed anger: When individuals are overly critical of themselves, they may turn their anger inward. This can be particularly harmful as it can lead to negative feelings, judgmental self-talk, and even depression.
Recognizing the type of anger you experience can be essential in understanding how to address it.
Mental health conditions and anger disorders
Anger is often linked to underlying mental health conditions. While not every instance of intense anger stems from a disorder, it’s not uncommon for anger issues to coexist with conditions like:
- Depression: Frustration and irritability are common symptoms, especially in men, who may mask sadness with angry outbursts.
- Anxiety: Feeling overwhelmed or threatened by life’s uncertainties can lead to heightened emotional responses like anger.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Individuals with PTSD may have heightened responses to perceived threats, with anger being a frequent companion to their experience.
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
When anger is tied to mental health disorders, treating both the underlying condition and the anger itself can be key to improvement. Working with a trained mental health professional may ensure that both challenges are addressed comprehensively.
Identifying signs of anger issues
Recognizing that anger is becoming a problem isn’t always easy. People often justify their behavior or fail to see its long-term consequences. However, there are some signs that can indicate that treatment through anger management counseling might be helpful. The following are just a few:
- Frequent irritability: If you feel angry more often than not, even over small issues, it could be a sign that your emotional responses are disproportionate.
- Alienation from loved ones: If family and friends have mentioned your anger issues or have distanced themselves from you because of your behavior, you may benefit from anger counseling.
- Aggression: Whether it’s verbal or physical, aggression can be a sign of uncontrolled anger.
- Revenge fantasies: Nursing grudges and frequently fantasizing about revenge can be strong indicators that anger has become toxic.
If any of these signs resonate, you may benefit from seeking professional help. Left unaddressed, anger problems can escalate and lead to further emotional, relational, and physical harm.
How anger management therapy can help
Anger management therapy aims to offer individuals the tools to . Working with a mental healthcare provider may help you to:
- Identify triggers: Understanding what sets off your anger is often one of the first steps. It could be certain people, situations, or internal thoughts that spark intense reactions.
- Develop coping skills: Through therapy, you may learn anger management skills that help you respond differently when faced with anger-provoking situations. These might include breathing exercises, visualization techniques, or cognitive restructuring to shift negative thought patterns.
- Improve emotional regulation: Therapy often helps individuals control the emotional and physiological arousal that comes with anger. Instead of letting emotions dictate actions, people often learn to pause, reflect, and choose their responses.
- Repair relationships: For those whose anger has damaged relationships, therapy may provide strategies for rebuilding trust and improving communication with loved ones.
The role of behavioral therapy
Behavioral therapy tends to play a significant role in anger management. Various approaches can be employed, depending on the individual's needs.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely used forms of therapy. CBT typically helps individuals recognize negative thought patterns that contribute to anger. By learning to challenge these thoughts, people can often change their emotional responses and behavior. For example, instead of jumping to conclusions or magnifying a problem, people undergoing CBT may achieve more balanced and rational thinking.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) may be particularly useful for those with intense or chronic anger. It typically focuses on emotional regulation, teaching individuals how to manage intense feelings without resorting to harmful behaviors. DBT often emphasizes mindfulness and distress tolerance, helping people stay grounded in the present moment rather than getting swept up in their anger.
Psychodynamic therapy
For some, unresolved past experiences may be the root of their anger. Psychodynamic therapy may help individuals explore the psychological roots of their emotions, providing insights into how early life experiences shape their current behavior. By understanding these underlying patterns, individuals might begin to break the cycle of uncontrolled anger.
Family therapy for anger management
In cases where anger is directed at family members, family therapy can be especially beneficial. This approach aims to help families communicate better and resolve long-standing issues that may contribute to anger. Whether it's between spouses, parents, and children, or siblings, addressing anger within the family unit can lead to healthier relationships and more positive interactions.
How to get started
If you recognize that anger has become a problem, the next step is typically seeking help. Below, we’ll explore ways to find resources that can help you get started on your journey toward managing anger.
Mental health and anger management resources
Researching anger management classes or trying to find a trained mental health professional experienced in treating anger is typically the first step in finding anger management therapy. There are numerous resources available online, including directories for therapists and mental health services:
- : The APA offers resources for finding licensed mental health professionals who specialize in anger management. The APA’s website provides a directory of therapists.
- Online anger management classes: Forbes has compiled a list of free online anger management classes. These programs typically cover essential topics like understanding triggers, developing coping strategies, and managing emotional responses.
Many mental health clinics, hospitals, and community centers also offer group therapy sessions where you can learn alongside others who experience similar challenges. This can create a supportive environment and allow you to explore anger management skills in real-world scenarios.
The effectiveness of online therapy
With the rise of telehealth services, many people are turning to online therapy for anger management. Research shows that online therapy is effective while also offering added convenience and affordability. Along with scheduling flexibility, many online therapy providers offer a large pool of providers with experience in anger management.
Takeaway
What is the best therapy for anger management?
Most research about anger management treatment has focused on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In this approach to talk therapy, people learn how to identify negative thought patterns and change unhealthy beliefs as well as learn problem solving techniques to help them control their anger. Multiple types of CBT, such as stress inoculation, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and exposure therapy, may be used to treat anger.
Other types of therapy can also be used to help people manage uncontrollable anger. For example, in family therapy, the person and their family members or romantic partner can get help improving communication techniques.
To manage anger that occurs as a result of another mental health condition, like substance abuse, PTSD, or depression, a therapist or other professional will develop a treatment plan that may focus on treating the mental illness and managing anger and other symptoms.
How to release suppressed anger?
Unexpressed anger can have significant effects on mental and physical health, including high blood pressure and depression. It can also lead to passive-aggressive behavior or leave you feeling cynical or hostile. Expressing anger can help you process your emotions so you can cope with your angry feelings.
To release suppressed anger, it can be beneficial to work on improving communication skills. Learning how to make your needs clear and discuss what you are angry about calmly and assertively without being aggressive can help you work through your emotions.
Does anger management counseling work?
Research has found that about 75% of people who receive anger management therapy experienced improvement. Some approaches to anger management counseling may include assertiveness training, which can help people learn how to clearly and calmly express their needs without harming other people, set boundaries, and handle criticism.
What medication is used for anger management?
Medication may be recommended for anger management depending on the person’s symptoms, their severity, and any underlying mental health condition. Some medications that can be used for anger include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), anti-psychotics, beta-blockers, or benzodiazepines. Medications can have side effects, and you should not take any medication without talking to a qualified mental health professional.
What emotion is behind anger?
Anger can result from a variety of other emotions, including sadness, guilt, shame, or fear.
What mental illness causes anger outbursts?
A number of mental disorders can cause anger outbursts, including personality disorders, depression, anxiety, and intermittent explosive disorder. Research shows that symptoms of mental health conditions are most likely to appear when the person is a teenager or young adult, so uncharacteristic or excessive anger in high school and college students can be a sign of another condition.
What is the root cause of anger?
Everyone experiences anger differently, and the root of it varies from one person to another. For some, anger may come from an intense primary emotion, like guilt or shame. Life challenges, like financial stress or relationship troubles, can trigger anger, and past experiences can create feelings that can contribute to these emotions. People with certain mental health issues, like PTSD or personality disorders, may also have an increased risk of anger.
How to fix extreme anger issues?
If you have anger management issues, there are various strategies you can use to manage them. Learning relaxation techniques, like breathing exercise or mindfulness meditation, can help you stay calm and give you techniques to turn to when you feel your anger rising. Improving communication skills can help you express anger assertively instead of suppressing it.
Why do I get so angry so easily?
If you get angry easily, there can be many factors behind it. Some people might get angry due to being stressed about situations in their daily life, or they may be tired and less able to control their motions. Others may have underlying mental health conditions that contribute to their anger.
Do anger issues ever go away?
Chronic anger issues are unlikely to go away on their own, but people can learn to manage them with treatment.
- Previous Article
- Next Article