Anger Management and Coping with Anger

Anger is a natural human emotion that can be very powerful and at times unpredictable. When one gets angry, adrenaline flows, heart rate increases and blood pressure escalates. Anger is a universal human emotion - everyone gets angry and that is okay. What is not okay is when anger gets out of control and becomes destructive leading to problems at home, work, school or in personal relationships.

Does this sound familiar? If so there is help. Anger management is a process designed to teach patients skills to help reduce the emotional feelings and the physiological changes that anger causes. It helps patients identify triggers for anger so that they can learn to control emotional reactions when situations or people make them angry.

The goals of anger management can be summed up in three steps: Prevention, Control and Resolution. Through anger management, patients learn to prevent anger by learning how to be "less angry." You may have heard the statement, "Don't sweat the small stuff..." Through anger management, patients learn to do just that so they can quit wasting time becoming angry with trivial and uncontrollable issues.

The second step in anger management is to learn to control anger in situations where it is reasonable to be angry. Patients learn to recognize the signs that they are becoming angry and also how to change what they think and feel about situations that are prone to causing anger. Patients gain the tools necessary to express anger without losing their cool.

Finally, in the last step, patients learn to use anger constructively. Patients learn to use conflict resolution skills, such as compromise and negotiation, so that anger can be used for problem solving and not destruction. If anger has been an issue in your life for long enough and you are ready for change, contact a mental health professional to begin learning the skills necessary to find greater peace in your life.

Information provided by Cindy Eisenbeis, M.S.W., LCSW. Click here to see her PStL profile and find out how to contact her.

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