What Is Anger Therapy? When To See A Counselor To Get A Handle On Your Emotions

Updated June 17, 2021

Medically Reviewed By: Aaron Horn

If you are constantly struggling with anger issues, it might be time to get some professional help. Getting a handle on your emotions can greatly improve your life and your happiness. You no longer have to worry about your friends and family members walking on eggshells.

Additionally, in anger therapy, you will learn techniques to get a handle on your emotions. These are skills that you will carry with you for your entire life. They can be used in relationships, at work, and in play. You deserve to understand why you feel the way you do and how to control it. You will get a whole new lease on life with this knowledge.

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What Is Anger Therapy?

Anger therapy is a targeted approach to dealing with issues related to anger. It offers coping skills, grounding techniques, and general advice regarding how you feel and what you can do about it.

Anger therapy is especially helpful to open-minded people to try something to get their emotions under control. The process is not perfect, but with some trial and error, it does have great success. You might be a good candidate for anger therapy if you experience any of the following issues:

Inability to control negative emotions
Frequent angry outbursts
Difficulty refraining from violence to solve problems
Unable to avoid arguing with a partner or spouse
Extreme feelings of anger surrounding small things
Having a "short fuse."

Any one of these issues warrants a visit to a counselor. If you are experiencing a number of them, your need for help is more pronounced.

Difficulty Controlling Negative Emotions

Most of us know how to control ourselves when it comes to our emotions. For some, though, when it comes to anger, it can get a little muddy.

If you are struggling with controlling your negative emotions, counseling might be right for you. A trained professional can help you identify the feelings you have and how to process them. There are many techniques surrounding anger that have shown great success.

The key to knowing which technique is right for you is getting the right diagnosis. Once you have a good idea of where all this anger is coming from, you can make a targeted plan to solve your issues. It is completely normal to feel angry at times. However, it creates an issue when you begin to hurt yourself or other people regularly. This is where a therapist can step in and give you the right steps to take toward recovery.

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Frequent Angry Outbursts

Some people that have issues related to anger report frequent and inappropriate outbursts. It doesn't normally take very much to trigger this, but the result is often detrimental.

Angry outbursts aren't fun for anyone. It makes your friends and family members uncomfortable and is likely an awkward situation for you as well. Reducing the frequency and the intensity of these outbursts benefits you personally, socially, and relationally. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done.

Many people who live with issues related to anger are the only way they have learned to deal with their anxiety and frustration. Unfortunately, by the time the realization comes around that it's a problem, it might be too late. Once a habit is ingrained within the way you handle your problems, it can be hard to break. Therefore, the guidance of a professional is a great option.

A professional will have thousands of hours of training working with people with similar issues. They will have an advanced understanding of the issue and experience fixing it. Eliminating frequent angry outbursts is a job that many professionals are equipped to handle. Using a professional therapist ensures your battle against rage has a guide and confidant. You will feel supported and confident that you can handle your issues healthily and comfortably.

Difficulty Refraining From Violence To Solve Problems

For many people who struggle with anger, violence comes hand in hand. Any time you meet a problem, your first instinct may be to resort to violence.

Violence isn't the best way to solve problems. Unfortunately, if you are struggling with anger issues, the logical part of your brain is overrun by the evolutionary need to protect. As a result, anger drives us to act irrationally and resort to problem-solving techniques that are not productive.

A therapist can identify your unhealthy habits and help you to overcome them. You can learn how to recognize your problems and incorporate new problem-solving techniques. For example, your therapist can work with you on keeping better communication skills to solve your issues. Additionally, he or she can show you ways to calm yourself internally when faced with an issue. This eliminates the need to resort to violence.

Unable To Avoid Arguing With A Partner Or Spouse

Relationship problems often start with disagreements. Disagreements frequently lead to arguing, which can ripple through the whole relationship, causing further problems.

Those who are struggling with anger problems have unique needs in a relationship. The issues dealing with this emotion can lead to frequent arguing, making both of you miserable. If your partner doesn't understand your anger struggles, this can cause even further problems. These problems include feeling isolated, uncared for, or misunderstood. To make matters worse, these feelings often exacerbate issues related to anger, making problems worse.

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A therapist can work with both you and your spouse to solve these problems. You will learn new ways to communicate to reduce arguing. Additionally, you will learn ways to prevent an argument from escalating past the necessary point for change. Finally, you will learn how to speak with purpose, which will lead to fewer fights, and in turn, a more harmonious relationship.

The people you surround yourself with are the fabric of your life. Although your anger may strain these relationships, you don't have to continue to give it all the power. Instead, you can take back your life and internal emotions with a little determination and help from the right sources.

Extreme Feelings Of Anger Surrounding Small Things

Anger issues often display themselves at the wrong times. Some people might view it as a minor inconvenience that might seem more detrimental to dealing with anger issues.

This is another instance in which you might feel misunderstood by your peers. Your lack of understanding of managing your emotions probably leads to reacting extremely to even minor situations. The good news is you can overcome this.

A therapist will help you to assess situations to react appropriately. Learning how to react to different situations is half the battle when it comes to anger problems. With professional assistance, you will be equipped to change the way you view the world.

You don't need to live in fear of the next thing that's going to upset you. You can gain control of your life and the way you react to things if you want it. There are ways to get away from this, and you can do it. Trust yourself and make the right decision to see a professional today.

Having A "Short Fuse"

Many people with issues related to anger are classified as having a short fuse. This means it doesn't take long at all to upset you.

The issue routes from not knowing how to manage your emotions when you are faced with a problem. It can be extremely frustrating to feel as if you are a bomb waiting to go off. The good news is, this doesn't have to go on forever.

A counselor or therapist knows your issue and how to help you. Many people grow up in dysfunctional homes and experience all the ways to handle stress. For this reason, it can be one of the most difficult issues that you need to handle as an adult. As with anything that is rooted in childhood, obstacles will be faced. Having a trained professional in your corner will make all the difference in combating this.

Where To Get Help

The next step to freedom from your anger issues is finding the right help. Not all therapists are right for each person. You must make sure you enlist the right help to get you through this issue in your life.

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The counselors and therapists at ReGain are fully accredited and ready to help. They boast thousands of hours of experience helping people just like you. The best part is that their online platform will match you with a perfect therapist for you. So you won't have to worry about getting matched with someone that doesn't understand your issue or how to help you.

ReGain therapists are ready to help and accessible right from your living room. This makes it easier than ever before to get the help you need. Don't go another day, letting your anger control your life. You can learn how to gain control of your emotions healthily.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best therapy for anger management?

According to the APA, studies have shown that the most effective anger management therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy. This form of anger management counseling is especially effective at controlling anger because it teaches you healthy ways to:

Express anger
Manage anger
Deal with anger
Deal with controlling anger

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective method of teaching anger control because it doesn’t try to deny a person their feelings and emotions. For example, it is normal to feel angry, and if you try to suppress rather than feeling rather than letting yourself feel angry, you become more likely to have an outburst.

When it takes the form of anger management therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy allows a person to feel angry and teaches them how to express that anger in a healthy, constructive way. By treating anger at its root cause and learning how to acknowledge that anger while treating anger, and learning how to deal with anger, people become more aware of their emotions and triggers.

Knowing this information can then work with a cognitive behavioral therapy specialist to change their unhealthy and destructive behaviors into more positive, constructive, and healthy ways to express anger and manage anger.

While cognitive-behavioral therapy is the most effective method of anger management counseling, family therapy and group therapy are also effective options for therapy for anger. However, it is important to note that they require more effort and the commitment of people other than just the anger-management patient.

When a person with anger issues decides to pursue anger management counseling, they should seek help. If that person decides to seek additional family therapy or group therapy sessions, it is important for the other people involved to be supportive and open-minded.

When it comes to family therapy, this can be particularly difficult, especially if the family has been living with a person with anger issues for some time. The healing process can take time, but if the person with anger issues is willing to learn how to properly and effectively express anger, manage anger, and follow the directions for their therapy for anger, family therapy can help repair the familial ties that have anger been damaged.

In the beginning stages of anger management, family therapy and group therapy may not be desired. However, a person with anger issues needs to go through some cognitive behavioral therapy to understand their anger better and begin learning methods of controlling it. If it is not possible or desirable to seek in-person counseling for any reason, online therapy is effective at helping people learn to manage their anger.

Is anger a mental illness?

Anger itself is not considered a mental disorder. However, those that feel angry often and those who lack the ability to express anger without hurting themselves, others, or property often have underlying mental health conditions that the anger is a symptom of. Some conditions that can cause irrational or extreme anger are:

Depression
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Alcohol abuse
Substance abuse
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
Bipolar Disorder
Intermittent explosive disorder (IED)
Severe and sudden grief

Anger is a symptom of something more; it is rarely a condition by itself. If you are experiencing sudden, extreme, or uncontrollable anger, find a therapist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy and see what treatment options are available to you.

How does therapy help with anger issues?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is particularly effective in treating anger issues because it teaches the person how to recognize their anger triggers and teaches them how to manage, control, and express that anger in a healthy non-destructive way.

By engaging in cognitive behavioral therapy, a person with anger issues will learn that the way they react to anger is often irrational, harmful, and abnormal. By recognizing that, they can begin to learn the normal ways to react to things that make them angry and better communicate their feelings, thoughts, and emotions.

What are the 3 stages of anger?

There are actually five stages of anger. These are:

Stage 1: Trigger phase: This begins the anger cycle. We feel threatened on some level, and we prepare to meet that threat.
Stage 2: Escalation phase: Increased heart rate and blood pressure, muscles tense, our voice becomes louder, stance changes.
Stage 3: Crisis phase: Fight or flight kicks in, judgment is diminished.
Stage 4: Recovery phase: The body removes adrenaline and begins to recover. Judgment returns and with its realization.
Stage 5: Post-Crisis Depression phase: Guilt, regret, and emotional depression set in.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps people with anger issues realize that they are in the trigger phase. It helps them learn how to deescalate their emotions and anger before the next stage is triggered.

Why do I get angry so easily?

In many cases, when people constantly get irritated, angry, or upset even over little things regularly, it is usually because there is something more serious going on. For example, it could be a manifestation of anxiety due to a particularly stressful time in their lives. It could also be caused by an underlying and undiagnosed mental health condition or some unresolved trauma from your past.

Suppose you find that you’re constantly angry, and you don’t know why you seek medical advice. A therapist can help by talking to you and can help you work through your anger issues with therapy, group therapy, CBT, and one of many other options.

How can I release my anger?

Everyone has different ways of dealing with their anger, but here are a few methods that may help:

Take deep breaths, slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Repeat a mantra, “Everything is alright.”
Visualize a happy memory or thought.
Practice yoga or tai-chi to release energy calmly.
Vent your frustrations to a trusted friend or family member.
Use humor to calm yourself down.
Take a break and leave the area that’s causing the stress and anger.

Recognizing that you are getting angry irrationally or in a more serious way than the situation deserves the first step toward anger management. Next, try these tips to help calm yourself down, and if they don’t work, talk to a therapist to see what options they recommend.

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What Is Anger Therapy? When To See A Counselor To Get A Handle On Your Emotions

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