Anger and Anger Management

Anger is an emotion that we all experience from time to time. This emotion is characterized by tension and hostility. Usually, it arises from frustration, feeling that you’ve been injured by someone, or perceiving an injustice.

In many cases, anger can be a helpful reaction that motivates us to take action to make positive changes. For example, we might feel angry when we learn about the effects of climate change, which might then motivate us to start recycling or composting.

Although it’s quite normal to experience anger at times, for some people it can become an emotion that is intense, difficult to control, or leads to aggression.

This can create problems in our lives, at work, socially and legally. Anger is not the same as aggression, although the two are often associated. Anger - which is an emotion - can be a trigger for aggression, which is behavior that is intended to cause harm.

It’s common for people who frequently struggle with anger to also experience other mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, shame or substance abuse. Chronic anger can also lead to health problems like heart disease.

So, if you think you have a problem with anger, consider seeking help from a mental health professional. Therapy can help you learn to manage and overcome anger issues and associated challenges.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Anger

Anger is a normal part of life, but there are major differences between healthy and unhealthy anger. As a starting point, an individual needs to identify whether or not their anger is healthy to determine whether or not they need anger management.

People who experience anger that interferes with their quality of life or destroys relationships, jobs, and friendships may require anger management intervention. Anger management may also be necessary for those whose anger has created legal problems.

Symptoms of anger

Both internal and external events can trigger the emotional reaction of anger. This means that the trigger could be thoughts, memories, a person, or actual events.

The physical signs of anger are due to the activation of our body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. These include:

• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Muscle tension
• Headaches or dizziness
• Feeling hot
• Sweating
• Shaking
• Increased rate of breathing

Remember, anger is a normal emotion to experience and it not always problematic. Feeling these physical signs does not necessarily mean there’s a problem. In fact, these physical symptoms can also occur when we are feeling other emotions, such as anxiety or excitement.

How to manage anger

Getting a handle on your anger can help you to feel happier, more relaxed, and have better relationships. There are many resources available to help you learn strategies to better manage your emotions and control the physical symptoms of anger. Consider one or more of these options:

• Therapy. Therapy can help you to recognize and avoid anger triggers and learn strategies for managing anger when it does occur. Therapists can also assess and treat any associated or underlying mental health challenges. You might participate in therapy in individual or group settings. Types of therapy to consider and tips for choosing a therapist are discussed more, below.
• Relaxation: Learn relaxation and breathing techniques to help you to reduce the physical sensations of anger.

• Calmly state your feelings. Learn to state your feelings simply and calmly. Saying things like “I’m feeling angry now” can help assuage that anger.

• Identify your triggers: Pay attention to the things that trigger feelings of anger for you. Greater awareness can help you to prepare for managing such situations in the future. You might also try to learn the early warning signs of anger in your body, such as feeling hot or tense, for example. This allows you to act early to take evasive action or use calming strategies to de-escalate your anger.
• Time out: If you feel an intense anger reaction, remove yourself from the triggering situation. You might want to, at times, avoid or find alternatives to things that make you feel angry. Schedule breaks into your day to help manage stress and reduce your vulnerability to unhelpful anger reactions.
• Exercise: Exercise Regularly. Getting regular exercise helps release some of the pent up energy related to an anger disorder. If you feel anger building, getting some exercise can serve as a healthier release.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs: These substances can cause us to feel disinhibited, which may increase our vulnerability to an anger response.
• Checkups: Chronic anger has been associated with a number of health problems, like high blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Make sure you see your physician for a checkup to monitor these risks and protect your health.
• Support groups or anger management classes: Many people find it beneficial to learn alongside others who are experiencing similar difficulties. Use your zipcode to search online for anger management support groups at your location.

Does anger cause depression?

An older article in the journal BJPsych Advances linked feeling angry with the development of depression.

The authors of the article suggest that this anger stems from “narcissistic vulnerability,” which is when a person is extremely sensitive to any perceived rejection or loss.

Experiencing rejection may cause feelings of anger, which can lead to a person fearing that their anger will damage their relationships.

They may then turn this anger toward themselves, which can lead to low self-esteem and depression.

However, there is little research available to support this theory or show that anger can cause depression.

Anger Management Therapy

There are several types of therapy that can help those with an anger disorder. While some patients may benefit from one, others may benefit from participating in several different therapies.

The particular approach taken depends on your individual circumstances as well as your therapist. That said, some common therapeutic approaches to anger management include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This therapy helps to change unhelpful patterns of thinking, behavior and emotions. It can help you to develop new and more helpful coping strategies and beliefs, and become aware of anger triggers.
• Mindfulness practices: Mindfulness teaches you to become more aware of your body's sensations and therefore increases early recognition of anger. It can also help with anger management by helping you not to automatically react to thoughts or feelings.
• Family or Couples Therapy: It can be helpful to involve family members or partners to learn to communicate with each other more effectively and learn conflict-resolution strategies.

• Group Therapy: In group therapy, individuals share their experiences with disordered anger. A therapist leads the session, guiding the conversation and providing coping strategies for the group to consider.

• Psychodynamic Therapy: This therapy explores how the past may influence current patterns of thought, emotion and behavior associated with anger.