Why anger management is important?

Content/Trigger Warning: Please be advised that the article below might mention trauma-related topics that include types of abuse & violence that could be triggering.

What is anger

It can be helpful to think of anger as “energy.” We want to have anger in some situations, as it can motivate us to succeed and defend ourselves. However, when not controlled, anger can lead to health problems, relationship problems, family problems, chemical dependency, mental health problems, and behaviors that are dangerous to ourselves and others. Therefore, anger management aims not to get rid of anger but rather to control it in a way that helps us adapt to our circumstances in healthy ways.

What is anger management?

Anger management is a broad term that describes several interventions to help someone manage their anger more effectively. What anger management will look like depends on the treatment modality used. Most anger management classes and work done individually with a client involve a combination of cognitive restructuring, coping skills, and assertive communication. Sometimes, the client will also explore factors that led to the anger, such as a history of trauma or witnessing violence in the home growing up. Still, recently anger management has become more focused on current self-control rather than exploring past issues.

Cognitive restructuring involves changing one’s way of interpreting situations. Two people can have very different thoughts resulting from the same situation, and the way they perceive the situation (what thoughts they have) will significantly affect their feelings. For example, if a person is cut off in traffic, they may tell himself, “I can’t let someone get away with that; it was a horrible thing to do!” That person will feel angry and, as a result, could exhibit dangerous behaviors (tailing the person, trying to incite a fight, etc.). However, another person who is cut-off in traffic may tell himself, “Well, that person must be in a rush. I’m glad everyone is alright.” This second person probably will not feel angry.

Anger management also often includes psychoeducation in the form of teaching coping skills. For example, many anger management difficulties benefit from deep breathing, pleasant imagery, muscle relaxation, counting backward, grounding, meditation, etc. Finally, it is common for people who struggle to manage their anger to have difficulty expressing their feelings in inappropriate ways. Being assertive (such as using “I statements”) can help someone regularly let others know how they feel, not eventually explode with anger or turn the anger inward.