What is anger?
Anger is a natural human emotion that is represented throughout the world, although it may be expressed differently depending on the culture. The United States society provides limited support, understanding, and education to people to learn how to manage this emotion, especially during childhood. Anger is typically understood as a secondary emotion.  Something inside a person’s environment occurs before anger presents itself.
An individual may experience anger following many factors. A short list is provided here:
- Infidelity
- Job loss
- Grief and loss
- Illnesses such as cancer
- Loss of control
The emotion of anger itself is not the challenge. The person’s reaction to the event that causes the anger and then one’s reaction to the anger itself is the web that needs to be untangled.
Some people have the ability to manage their anger appropriately by allowing it to pass or using mindfulness and/or grounding skills to allow the anger to fade. Other people do not have this ability. This can lead to interpersonal or work issues, legal challenges, and superficial relationships with others. There is hope. Anger does not have to rule one’s life.
How can therapy help with anger?
People who experience challenges with anger may benefit from working with a local therapist. A therapist trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and/or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can support a person in distancing themselves from their emotions and to assess their response to a situation. Therapy for anger can also support an individual in working through guilt and shame associated with past anger episodes. No matter where or how old a person is in life working with a therapist near you can help shift how you manage anger.
If you or someone you know experiences challenges with anger, please do not hesitate to reach out to a therapist near you. Our trained therapists offer a free 20-minute consultation call to ensure we are a good fit to work together Click here to submit a Contact Form.
