Feeling out of control over your own emotions can be exhausting, having damaging effects on your self-esteem and those around you. You may find yourself regretting your reactions instantly, however, not knowing how you could have handled the situation better. Anger issues can manifest from something big or small, insignificant triggers. The important thing is to understand your emotions as a means of taking ownership of your reactions. Anger issues aren't often associated with mental health issues. However, the amount of people struggling to control their anger is more common than you may think, with 32% of people saying they have a close friend or family member who struggles with anger and 12% of people recognising they have anger issues. Anger issues can substantially negatively impact your life, with one in five saying they have ended relationships due to their angry reaction! This upsetting statistic means that it is essential to raise awareness and encourage those who suffer from anger issues to seek professional help from a therapist, such as myself. Sadly, 58% of people admitted they wouldn't even know to seek help if they had an anger issue. So here’s how to understand whether or not you need help.

The anger arousal cycle:

• Trigger, recognising what sets you off, this could be some bad news or a disagreement with a friend.
• Escalation, noticing your body's physical reactions such as an increased breath or heart rate may help warn you that you are close to losing control.
• Crisis, during this stage, your judgement is significantly impacted, meaning it is hard to regain control over your response.
• Recovery, your body's adrenaline calms down, and your sense of judgement returns, making it easier to reflect on your reaction.
• Depression, as you come to understand your response, you may experience guilt and regret.

Understanding this process is the first step in understanding how to exercise ownership over your emotions. Anger management helps with understanding this cycle in order to prevent an outburst.

What is Anger Management?

Anger management is the process of helping people identify stressors and triggers that may set off their anger, therefore enabling them to understand how to manage their emotions. They then can use these methods in stressful situations in a positive, constructive way. The support of a therapist in anger management is an excellent way of understanding how to react acceptably, therefore not negatively affecting your day to day life.

How it works

To help recognise your triggers and help control your emotions, a therapist may use the following methods:

• Impulse management
• Self-awareness
• Meditation
• Frustration management - maybe an anger diary
• Breathing techniques
• Relaxation strategies

Anger management may take place in a group setting or a one to one session. A one to one setting allows you to personally target specific issues such as relationships, family or work. Most therapists will assign tasks for you to undertake to strengthen and apply what you have learnt in sessions. However, it is essential to start using control methods in life as soon as you start before letting your emotions remain unchecked and lash out in potentially harmful ways.

Would you benefit from anger management?

This treatment may be beneficial for those who identify with any of the below categories:

• Violent offenders
• People with bullying tendencies
• People with substance abuse issues
• People with cognitive mental health issues which result in anger
• People suffering from PTSD

Whether you identify with any of the above or not, if you feel you may need professional support for tackling anger issues, don't hesitate to contact me on my website. Here you can book in for an in-person or online appointment, whichever you feel more comfortable with. No one wants to feel out of control; recognising you may need extra help is the first step in regaining this power over your emotions. So don't let anger ruin your life; seek help today to make the first steps toward a positive change.