What is anger?
Anger is an emotion that occurs as a natural response to frustration or feeling like others do not care or respect us. The spectrum of anger ranges from slight irritation to extreme rage.
What are symptoms associated with anger?
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
- Increased breathing rate
- Flushed/red face
- Protruding veins
- Clenched teeth
- Stiff posture
What can I do to manage my anger?
- Try to figure out what triggers your anger and develop strategies to prevent those triggers from being activated.
- Re-evaluate your thinking process to see situations from a different perspective.
- Perform relaxation exercises: take deep breaths, imagine relaxing scenery, practice yoga, etc.
- Learn better communication skills. This can include listening to what others have to say before reacting and communicating your needs more clearly to others.
At what point should I seek help?
If you feel that your anger is sudden and/or beyond your control, you should seek help. If your anger is also damaging your social or work relationships, it is advised to seek help as well. Anger management counseling and therapy specialized for anger will assist in controlling your anger.
What is the difference between anger management classes and therapy specialized for anger?
Anger management counseling will help you learn what causes anger and help you identify what situations specifically cause anger in your life. Anger management teaches exercises and strategies to cope with anger, typically through a 6-12 session program.
More in-depth therapy for anger management provides a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of your life to determine the influences in your life that may contribute to anger. Therapy will be tailored more towards analyzing your life choices and provide individual strategies that are more effective for your unique situation.
Search UB Therapists who specialize in anger management.
Discover more anger management resources in UB’s Wellness Directory.
Ponton, L. (2007). Anger Management. Psych Central. Retrieved on February 18, 2015, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/anger-management/0001093
Tomasulo, D. (2011). Anger management or combination of therapy. Psych Central. Retrieved on February 18, 2015, from http://psychcentral.com/ask-the-therapist/2011/08/05/anger-management-or-combination-of-therapy/