Can you get therapy for anger issues

Deborah C. Escalante

Share on Pinterest

Katarina Radovic/Stocksy United

Anger is a common emotion that you may experience from time to time.

While anger itself isn’t necessarily harmful — and as a response to many situations is understandable — chronic (ongoing) and uncontrolled anger can interfere with your overall health.

In severe cases, it may even harm your interpersonal relationships and career.

If you feel like you’re constantly angry and that your anger has taken over your life, it may be time to explore therapy.

In some cases, you may be dealing with someone in your life who is frequently angry. You may want to help your loved one with their uncontrollable anger, while also helping yourself navigate your own emotions.

Anger therapy in children and teens

While it’s normal for young children to have occasional temper tantrums and for teens to be irritable from time to time, frequent angry outbursts may indicate an underlying issue.

If you feel that your child has uncontrolled anger, talk to their pediatrician as a first step. Depending on the situation, they may recommend a mental health evaluation before referring you to a therapist.

For young children, parent management techniques (PMT) may help. PMT focuses on positive reinforcement by rewarding good behavior, rather than punishing children for angry outbursts.

Anger is a normal emotion in children and teens who might be experiencing life changes. If you’re the child in this situation and find yourself feeling angry and overwhelmed, speak to a trusted adult. This may be a parent, a teacher, or a school counselor.

What therapies work for anger?

Therapy is a key component to treating chronic anger issues. Rather than suppressing your anger, the overall goal of therapy is to help you work through it so you can have a healthier, more balanced relationship with your emotions.

A mental health professional can make specific therapy recommendations based on both the severity of your anger as well as its underlying cause(s). You may also benefit from therapy if a loved one’s anger is affecting you.

Below are some of the most effective forms of therapy used to treat anger.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is a psychotherapy technique used in a variety of mental health treatment programs. It works by helping you recognize what triggers your anger and identifying how you normally respond to such triggers.

Then, with the help of a therapist, you learn new ways to respond to anger. This type of therapy may also be helpful in treating anger that’s caused by emotional trauma.

If you have a loved one with anger issues, CBT may also help you learn how to cope with these types of situations. In such cases, your therapist will guide you through healthy responses to another person’s anger.

Your therapist will help you identify personal goals and outcomes so you can gradually change your thoughts and behaviors — and stick with the changes.

Psychodynamic therapy

If you feel like your anger is taking over your life and affecting others around you, a therapist might recommend a technique called psychodynamic therapy.

This type of therapy is more focused on self-reflection. It works to reveal your unconscious motivations to alleviate inner tension.

You may also learn how to express anger in ways that don’t affect your friends, family, and co-workers.

Group therapy

Chronic anger may affect your self-esteem and leave you feeling guilty and isolated. In such cases, group therapy can help. Led by a professional, these sessions allow for participants to get together on a regular basis, such as weekly or monthly.

BACA JUGA:   Post trauma stress disorder symptoms

The advantage of group therapy is that you’ll likely feel less alone throughout your treatment. It can also be helpful to hear about others’ coping strategies. Depending on your needs, some types of group therapies are family-based.

Group therapy is often a supplement to other types of therapy. You’ll likely need to see a therapist for individual sessions to gain the most benefits.

Play therapy

Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy designed specifically for young children. During these sessions, a licensed therapist will use creative forms of play to help children express their feelings and thoughts. Play may include using puppets, sand boxes, art, music, and more.

The goal of play therapy is to help children learn how to cope with challenges while also increasing self-esteem. In considering the treatment of anger, play therapy can help children navigate their emotions in a more constructive way.

What therapist is best for anger?

Finding a licensed and experienced therapist is crucial to figuring out the right treatment program suited to your needs. Here’s who can help:

  • Psychotherapist. This is the most common type of mental health professional. Also called “talk therapists,” these types of counselors work collaboratively with you to address underlying anger issues and their causes, while also helping you reach healthy behavioral goals.
  • Psychiatrist. Like psychotherapists, psychiatrists can help administer therapies for mental health treatment. These professionals are also doctors, so they have the ability to administer medications, if needed.
  • Play therapist. Younger children may benefit from psychotherapy done in the form of play therapy.
  • School counselor. These licensed mental health professionals are good starting points for children, teens, and college students. They may also help you work through school-related triggers of your anger.

The takeaway

Have patience with the process. It can take time before you find the right therapist you feel comfortable with, and then some time on top of that to work with suggested techniques.

You’ll likely find that your efforts will pay off in terms of your overall well-being.

A driver yells at the pedestrian he almost hit.Anger is a strong feeling of displeasure. It is often a reaction to stress, failure, or injustice. Anger can range from mild irritation to full-blown rage.

It is normal to experience anger. At times, anger is the appropriate response to the actions of others. When managed correctly and kept in check, anger can be an important ally to a healthy adult. 

But anger has risks, perhaps more than any other emotion. It can alienate people from others and lead individuals to do things they later regret. People who have lasting, extreme anger may find it helpful to explore its causes with a therapist.

What Causes Anger?

The causes of anger can vary. It may be triggered by external factors such as bullying, humiliation, and loss. Internal factors, such as frustration or failure, can also lead to anger.

Anger is not always a reaction to a present circumstance. Sometimes a situation will unconsciously remind a person of a past experience. A person may displace their anger about the past onto the present situation.

Anger typically has less to do with an event and more with how a person reacts to the event. Certain negative thought patterns often precede an outburst of anger. These patterns include:

  • Blaming: When a person claims negative events or emotions are always someone else’s fault. Blaming others is often an attempt to avoid responsibility or shame.
  • Overgeneralizing: When a person gets caught up in black and white thinking. The words “always” and “never” are common in this pattern. Overgeneralizing often makes a situation seem worse than it really is. 
  • Rigidity: When a person is unable to reconcile what is happening with what they think should happen. The individual may have a low tolerance for frustration.
  • Mind-reading: When a person convinces themselves that another person intentionally hurt or disrespected them. The person may intuit hostility where there isn’t any.
  • Collecting straws: When a person mentally tallies things to justify their anger. They let small incidents build in their head until they reach “the last straw.” The person’s anger then boils over in what most people see as an overreaction. 
BACA JUGA:   What are the key elements of psychodynamic therapy

By challenging these thought patterns, most people can reduce their anger.

What is the Point of Anger?

A couple gets some bad news on their phone.Anger can help individuals relieve stress by motivating people to solve a problem instead of enduring it. For example, a person caught in a frustrating traffic jam may look for a faster route home. A healthy expression of anger can open up dialogue about negative feelings. In a fight-or-flight scenario, anger can be necessary for survival.

Some people may show anger because they have difficulty expressing other feelings. They may have been taught that certain emotions, such as fear or sadness, are unacceptable. Masking these emotions in the form of anger may work as a defense mechanism. Anger may allow the person to avoid feelings which could damage self-esteem or cause more stress. Yet it can also hide the actual issue at hand, delaying a resolution.

Expressing Anger

Like many emotions, anger by itself is neither bad nor good. The consequences of anger depend on how a person reacts to the emotion. 

Some people feel that letting their anger out by screaming or yelling at someone else helps them feel better. But angry outbursts can become a habit. Aggression tends to cause more anger, not less. Moreover, the way other people react to anger can fuel an individual’s stress and may lead to increased anger.

Other individuals may express anger through passive aggressive behaviors. Passive aggression is a subtle attempt to change, stop, or punish an action. For example, a teen who is upset that her family ate dinner without her may “forget” to clean the dishes that night. A person may feel passive aggression is a safer or more polite way to get what they want. However, it is more likely to cause confusion than solve the issue.  

Assertiveness is one of the healthiest ways to deal with anger. An assertive person will state what they need in a clear and direct manner. They will try to get their needs met without hurting anyone else. Assertiveness is the middle ground between being pushy and being a pushover.

When Anger Becomes a Problem

Anger is a powerful emotion that can influence people’s thought patterns and behavior choices. It can also cause physical symptoms. An angry person may develop headaches, rapid breathing, or a pounding heart. 

Anger may be a problem when it leads to regular aggression and violence. Someone with anger issues may find themselves constantly yelling or throwing tantrums. They may struggle to enjoy company without getting into an argument. Unchecked aggression can cause social problems. If a person becomes violent, they may also get in legal trouble.

Anger can also be directed toward the self. A person may engage in severe self-criticism to cope with frustration. Over time, they may develop a low self-esteem or even self-hatred. A person may act on this anger in the form of self-harm.

Some people may be aware of their anger issues but not know what to do. The individual may be so overwhelmed with emotion that they feel unable to control it. Such individuals may benefit from anger management therapy. 

Gender and Anger

An office worker squeezes the bridge of her nose in frustration.Research suggests people of all genders experience similar levels of anger. Yet due to socialization, men and women often express their anger differently. 

Men often face stigma for showing sadness or fear. Yet society often labels anger and aggression as masculine. As such, men are more likely to express anger physically, perhaps by throwing objects or hitting people. They are also more likely to act impulsively on their anger.

BACA JUGA:   How effective is emdr for complex ptsd

Women often face stigma for showing anger. Thus, women are less likely to recognize or acknowledge their anger. Some studies suggest they more likely than men to engage in passive aggressive acts. Their bouts of anger tend to last longer.

Gender can also influence the type of anger a person typically possesses. Men are more likely to have a revenge motive around their anger. Women tend to have higher levels of resentment. Women also express more anger directed at themselves. 

Anger Expression Across Cultures

Every culture has display rules about anger. Display rules are social norms about when and how one can express anger appropriately. Research has found trends in display rules among collectivist and individualist cultures. 

Collectivist cultures prioritize cooperation and group cohesion. Their display rules say it is more appropriate to:

  • Conceal one’s anger to maintain harmony in the group. People may mask their anger with another expression or show no emotion at all. 
  • Express anger toward strangers rather than family or friends. People in collectivist cultures often belong to fewer social circles. As such, they tend to be more committed to these groups. Arguments and aggression pose a greater risk for social isolation. 

Individualist cultures encourage independence and self-expression. Their display rules say it is more appropriate to:

  • Tone down one’s expression of anger rather than eliminating it altogether.
  • Express anger toward family and friends rather than strangers. People in individualist cultures tend to move between groups. As such, they may find it more important to get along with people they don’t know yet. They also rely less on any one group for social interaction.

Certain coping mechanisms for anger may be encouraged in one culture and stigmatized in another. Therapists who treat anger issues may need to be mindful of a person’s cultural context. 

Anger as a Mental Health Symptom

When treating anger, a therapist will likely address underlying diagnoses as well. Anger is closely tied to several mental health conditions, including:

  • Major depression: Anger may be directed at oneself or at others.
  • Bipolar: Irritability is a common feature of mania. Yet a person may also have anger symptoms in their depressive phase.
  • Oppositional defiant behavior (ODD): An angry or hostile mood is one of the main signs of ODD in children.
  • Narcissistic personality: A person who encounters an insult to their ego may lash out in rage. Anger may mask unconscious feelings of inferiority and fear.
  • Posttraumatic stress (PTSD): People with PTSD often have outbursts of anger with little to no provocation.

People with chronic anger may also be at a higher risk of substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol can help mask anger temporarily. Yet they may also have the effect of worsening one’s anger, as drugs and alcohol can reduce self-control and tend to increase impulsivity.

If you or a loved one has anger issues, therapy can help. A therapist can teach necessary skills to manage overwhelming emotions. They may also help a person address underlying emotions and memories that may be contributing to the distress. With time and patience, anyone can learn to control their anger. 

References:

  1. Anger. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/index.aspx
  2. Controlling anger—Before it controls you. (n.d.). American Psychological Association. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control.aspx
  3. Dittman, M. (2003). Anger across the gender divide. Monitor on Psychology, 34(3), 52. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar03/angeracross.aspx
  4. Matsumoto, D., Yoo, S. H., & Chung, J. (2010). The expression of anger across cultures. In International Handbook of Anger: Constituent and Concomitant Biological, Psychological, and Social Processes (pp. 125-127). New York, NY: Springer.  
  5. Segal, J., & Smith, M. (2015, February 1). Anger Management: Tips and techniques for getting anger under control. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/anger-management.htm
  6. Smith, P. B, Easterbrook, M. J., Celikkol, G. C., Chen, S. X, Ping, H., & Rizwan, M. (2016). Cultural variations in the relationship between anger coping styles, depression and life satisfaction [PDF]. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 47(3), 441-456. Retrieved from http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/57893/1/__smbhome.uscs.susx.ac.uk_lh89_Desktop_HARVEY___Publications_EASTERBROOK,%20Matt_newangerpaper%20acceptedJCCP10November2015.pdf
  7. Suman. (2016.) Anger expression: A study on gender differences [PDF]. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 3(4). Retrieved from http://www.ijip.in/Archive/v3i4/18.01.140.20160304.pdf

Also Read

Bagikan: