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Anger Management

The goal of anger management therapy is to help individuals:

Focus on problem-solving rather than on the problem itself; and. calm down when faced with
situations that cause them to become upset or angry. Anger management therapy is available
as individualized counseling or via group therapy. Anger management is a psycho-therapeutic
program for anger prevention and control. It has been described as
deploying anger successfully. Anger is frequently a result of frustration, or of feeling blocked or
thwarted from something the subject feels is important.

 Anger

We all know what it’s like to feel angry. It’s a natural human emotion, that is invoked
when we experience hurt, injustice, fear, and frustration. We can easily tell when we are angry
by the powerful physical response in the body, such as a rush of adrenaline, increased blood
pressure, heart rate and fast breathing that often takes over us. When we experience anger our
brains cause the body to release stress hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. This physical
response can lead to aggressive behavior that, in, appropriate times, will assist us to defend
ourselves if we are being attacked. The feeling of anger is not a problem, in and of itself, it is our
body’s natural way of defending itself. However, it is how we react to the anger, in non-life-
threatening situations that can lead to real problems

Signs & Symptoms of Out of Control Anger

If we have trouble managing anger and reactivity it can become destructive in many areas of
our lives, at work, in our close relationships, and it can affect our overall sense of well-being.
Some important signs that it’s time to consider anger management counseling or group anger
management therapy sessions are:

1. Feelings like you constantly have to “hold in” or repress your angry feelings.

2. Frequent arguing with your family, friends, co-workers or acquaintances.

3. Trouble with the law, or reckless disregard for rules.

4. Physical violence, such as hitting, loud shouting, door slamming, etc.

5. Threats of violence against people or property.

6. Out-of-control behavior, such as breaking things or reckless driving.

ANGER

Many different events can make someone angry. These may include:

 Internal events such as perceived failures, injustices, or frustrations

 External events such as loss of property or privileges, teasing, or humiliation
Anger may result in externalizing behaviors. These can include verbal arguments
and tantrums . Anger can also cause internalizing behaviors. Internalizing behaviors can
include sulking or increased symptoms of depression . People may show anger
through aggression . Aggression is the biological function of anger. It is an evolutionary
response that helps prepare people to fight off threats.Inappropriate displays of anger may
mean a more serious mental health or emotional issue  exists. People who receive anger
management therapy learn skills to slow their reaction to anger. This can help them identify
the reason for their feelings. The roots of anger may be buried in
emotional trauma, addiction , grief, or other issues. But a natural inclination may be to find
temporary relief in lashing out. This can obscure the true cause of the anger. If this is the
case for you, working with a therapist might be helpful.
Self-Help Tips:
Strategies for Successfully Managing Anger
Note: While practicing anger management techniques on your own can be helpful, for many
the most effective approach to anger management is to seek help from a professional anger
management counselor through individual counseling sessions or group therapy classes. In
addition, if you have any other mental health conditions, such as depression or addiction, you
may need to work with a therapist on these other issues for anger management techniques to
be effective.
 Below are some tips that may help you manage your anger:

Be Self-Aware. It is important that you learn to identify what situations trigger you to
become angry. Take a moment. Listen to your body. Become attuned to your natural
reactions. Are you noticing a pattern? Do you have specific triggers? Can you identify where
the anger begins in your body? Is anger a way to deal with feelings such as embarrassment,
hurt, or shame? Talk to someone you trust or an anger management specialist that can help
you collect your thoughts to better deal with the difficulties in life. If you don’t know why
you are angry, what is triggering you, or if you find yourself blaming everyone else for your
emotions, it’s very difficult to learn how to better cope when anger kicks in.

Slow Down. Notice when you start to get angry: do you get a knot in your stomach, a
headache, tense shoulders? Slowing down and implementing ways to relax like deep
breathing and peaceful imagery can help slow down some of the physical symptoms of
anger. It’s helpful to practice slowing down when you are not feeling upset. Meditating is
one way to learn to slow down and relax your mind. It is helpful to learn to slow down and
talk yourself down before and during the heat of the moment.

7. Change Your Way of Thinking. When you start getting upset about something, take a
moment to check in with your way of thinking. Ask yourself, “Is getting upset going to fix
anything?” Or, “Is this worth ruining my day over?” Bring in a more rational and objective
way of looking at the situation. If someone cuts you off in traffic, instead of thinking things
like, “They meant to cut me off, they saw me” replace that thinking with, “They probably are
in a rush and didn’t see me.” Our way of thinking about a situation can intensify or reduce
our anger.
8. Dig Deeper. Sometimes our anger and frustration are created by something in our past or a
situation that is going wrong in our lives currently. If you notice yourself getting angry about
the small stuff, dig a little deeper. Ask yourself “What is so wrong in my life that I feel so
angry, and what do I need to do to change the situation?” “Is there something that happened
in my past that is triggering how I currently feel?” By digging deeper into your angry
feelings, you can use them as a sign that you need to work on something that is bothering you
and it can be used as motivation for positive change. However, it is important to recognize
 situations you can’t control or change. In those situations, you may need to work on changing
your perspective of the situation.
9. Make it Humorous. Have you ever gotten angry about something and a few months later
you laughed about it? What made it funny just a few months later? Your more objective
perspective of it! When it comes to managing our anger, the ability to find the humor in a
situation is a priceless asset.
10. With the proper insight into the everyday frustrations of life, we can sometimes laugh about
the craziness of it all. When used to address a frustrating situation, humor can help you
achieve a more balanced perspective. However, humor should not be used to mask anger, or
a way to act overly sarcastic, because then it becomes another unhealthy expression of anger.
11. Take a Moment. If your anger seems to be building, remove yourself from the situation for a
few minutes and do something else – take a walk, listen to some relaxing music, or meditate.
Your chances of resolving the situation in a productive manner greatly increase when you
can approach it with a clear and rational mind.
12. Make Changes. While you can’t control most of the things that happen in life, you can take
steps to avoid unnecessary stress. Look at your daily schedule and identify activities, times of
day, people, places, or situations that are a source of frustration and anger. Then make some
changes. Find an alternate route to work; shut the door to your child’s messy room; set up a
time when you’re not too tired and hungry to talk about important matters with your spouse;
and most of all, make sure you have some time to yourself on a daily basis.
13. Acknowledge the Gains of Anger. Anger in the short-term produces at least one perceived
benefit. Receiving attention, getting your way, perceived respect, feeling powerful, and
releasing tension. Most of the time we don’t continue unhealthy behaviors unless they are
benefitting us in some ways. It’s important to realize that even though we gain something
from getting angry, expressing anger isn’t going to benefit us in the long run. Therefore, by
letting go of those short-term benefits and keeping our eyes on the bigger picture, we have
the ability to live a more balanced life with happier relationships.
References

 Duncan, A. (2009). Taming the beast: 9 keys for mastering your anger. Retrieved March
2019 from http://www.alduncan.net/TamingtheBeast.pdf
 LoveToKnow, Corp. (2006-2019).What Is the Name of the Brain Chemical Released
When You Are Angry. Retrieved March 2019 from
http://stress.lovetoknow.com/What_Is_the_Name_of_the_Brain_Chemical_Released_When_
You_Are_Angry
 Brown, J. (2012). Growing Yourself Up: How to Bring Your Best to All of Life’s
Relationships. Exisle, New Zealand.
 American Psychiatric Association (2019). Controlling Anger Before it Controls You.
Retrieved March 2019 from https://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control

1. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Controlling anger before it controls

you. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control.aspx
2. Awalt, A. M., Reilly, P. M., & Shopshire, M. S. (1997). The angry patient: an
intervention for managing anger in substance abuse treatment. Journal of Psychoactive
Drugs [Abstract], 29(4), 353-358. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9460029
3. Baguley, I.  J., Doyle, M., McCarthy, K., Nott, M. T., Onus, M., & Walker, A. J.
(2010). Effectiveness of a group anger management programme after severe traumatic
brain injury. Brain Injury, 24(3), 517-524.  
4. Borsay, C. (2012). Anger management interventions for adults with learning
disabilities living in the community: a review of recent (2000-2010) evidence.  British
Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41, 38-44.
5. Creech, S. K., Kachadourian, L., & Taft, C. T. (2012). Assessment and treatment of
posttraumatic anger and aggression: A review. JRRD, 49(5), 777-788.