Anger is a natural response to stressors and can be triggered by day-to-day problems such as financial struggles, family problems, or work-related stress. It can be identified by both physical and emotional symptoms. When under control, anger is a normal part of any person’s life.
Physical signs of anger:
- Muscle tension
- Headache
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased and rapid heart rate
- Sweating, especially your palms
- shaking or trembling
Emotional signs of anger:
- Irritability
- Frustration
- Feeling sad or depressed
- Feeling guilty
- Anxiety
- Rage
Being unable to manage anger can hurt personal relationships, careers, and people. In some cases, unchecked anger can lead to violence and physical or mental abuse. People who suffer from anger disorders often seemingly get mad without reason, have been accused of getting angry faster than other people, and have patterns of abrupt ends to relationships. People with anger issues are often given restraining orders by courts, have legal problems, and often suffer from intermittent explosive disorder or a variety of other mental health conditions.
But anger can also be a sign of another underlying problem. Alcoholism, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and even bipolar disorder can all increase a person’s propensity for anger. While any person can experience the symptoms of anger, those who experience it more often and to a severe degree may have an underlying issue.
Alcohol and Anger
Drinking alcohol has been linked to increased aggression for individuals who have impulse control disorders. Alcohol narrows a person’s perception of the future and impairs their self-regulatory skills, making a stressed, or emotionally compromised person more likely to lash out. Often, treatment for alcoholism is paired with anger management.
Anger as a Result of Depression
Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in Americans. Most recognize the symptoms of depression as being related to sadness and apathy. However, depression is unique to each individual and irritability is a common symptom among children and adolescents. Understanding how depression may appear as anger can help in identifying the root cause of anger issues.
Anger and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Anger affects about half of people with OCD. This can be triggered by frustration from obsessive thoughts, or if someone is interfering with your ability to complete rituals. Anger management approaches for those who suffer from OCD are focused on the treatment of OCD overall.
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Get personalized matchesHow Anger Hurts and Why to Get Help
Aggressive behavior can cause a host of problems, including interpersonal relationships, at work, or even with the law. Most people who come to anger management have already suffered the consequences of not getting help. Something like the regular loss of temper can lead to major consequences in family courts regarding the custody of children and visitation rights.
Potential anger management clients are often hesitant about reaching out for help. It’s normal to go through the stages of change. The fear of failure and being judged can cause someone to wait too long to ask for help.
What is anger management?
Anger management programs help people who suffer from impulse control disorders and have problems controlling impulses and moods. Providing coping skills to diffuse anger before it gets out of hand, these programs can be court-ordered or attended voluntarily.
Anger management therapy has been around for years and comes in many forms. To help people work on their anger issues appropriately, anger management programs aim to help clients learn to control angry feelings and thoughts. Generally done in a combination of group and individual therapy, anger management can include a full anger management course with several classes or be less structured.
Some Things You Will Learn in an Anger Management Program:
Anger management programs go a long way in teaching clients to identify their anger triggers, reduce raging tempers, stop negative or angry thoughts, and help reduce embarrassment. Techniques like teaching clients to use a “calm down kit” or do breathing exercises while healthily managing their emotions are all part of what anger management class and therapy are about.
Effectiveness of Anger Management
Like anything, a mental health treatment can only work so well with a resistant client. A person who comes to therapy looking for help from trained psychologists and counselors will learn to better control their behaviors faster than someone who is resistant to treatment. The best way to get results is to come to anger management ready to work and to change.
How Anger Management Teams Help
If you’re feeling unsure, therapists can help clients work through resistance and doubt. They can also help with the following:
- Managing aggressive behavior
- Learning coping skills
- Articulating feelings in healthy ways
- Managing heavy emotions
- Navigating other mental health issues in relation to anger problems
- Healing or grieving damaged interpersonal relationships
- Learning to identify healthy emotions
- Making referrals as needed
- Locating support groups
- Fulfilling court anger management orders
- Accountability
Getting Help For Anger Issues
If you believe you or someone you love needs help with impulse control issues and anger management, seek professional help. To locate a therapist who specializes in this problem, WithTherapy can point you in the right direction. With licensed professionals who specialize in behavioral disorders, anger, and impulse control, WithTherapy will be a great resource in helping you locate the right person with the proper diagnostic tools to help you.
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