When do you need therapy for anger management?

How Do You Feel About Anger?

Are there any words that you regret saying when you are angry? Which words did you use?

Were any people offended by your actions?

Has anything you have said ever caused a relationship to change or end (a relationship with family, friends, co-workers, boss, etc.)?

During an angry moment, have you ever thrown something? If yes, what?

Can you remember the last time you hit or destroyed something in anger? If so, what?

When was the last time you did something embarrassing because you could not control your anger? Who was with you?

If any of these questions resonate with you, you may need to consider anger management therapy.

When anger is present, it has a wide range of effects. Our hearts beat faster, our minds may not think straight, and we may be saying and doing things before we even know it (or at least it feels that way). 

In addition to things we cannot observe with our own eyes, anger also affects things we do. Our behavior when we’re mad differs from when we’re calm. People sometimes drink when they’re angry. Overeating, yelling, throwing things, skipping work, or just sitting and fuming are all common behaviors. 

Many of us are familiar with hot-blooded murders, but what about hot-blooded suicides? It’s no secret that anger can kill. Anger may also affect the way we think. First, we might imagine getting revenge or think about violent fantasies. In addition, we might think things are worse than they actually are. We can also encounter irrational thoughts about things that anger us.about things that anger us.

Learning skills to manage our anger and not become controlled by anger is essential. Almost every aspect of our lives becomes affected when anger gets out of control, affecting our personal lives, careers, and relationships with others.

Approximately two out of ten people struggle with anger management issues (Adler et al., 2020). Many people destroy their personal and professional lives due to their uncontrolled rage. Organizations like New York Behavioral Health are here to help people cope with their anger issues. 

What are the symptoms of anger issues?

Although used interchangeably here, angry signs and symptoms can be classified differently. A sign can be thought of as objective evidence of anger. Others can see our reactions when we are mad, such as changes in how we look or act, such as clenching our fists or turning red involuntarily.

Symptoms of anger can be described as subjective indicators. A person’s anger can cause completely private symptoms so that only they are aware of them. Inability to concentrate or hostile fantasies are two examples of anger symptoms (others cannot see them).  

Both terms will be used here interchangeably. Nevertheless, it is crucial to become aware that internal and external factors are related to anger.aware that internal and external factors are related to anger.

The most important thing is to pay attention to all kinds of events and realize many aspects of anger go unnoticed by others and even us if we are unaware of them. 

Anger: how does it feel?

Everyone experiences anger differently. The following list may include some of the things you experience, but you may also experience or have difficulties not listed here.

Your body may be affected in many ways:

• Your stomach may feel queasy
• You can experience a tight feeling in your chest
• Your heart may beat faster
• And your legs may feel weak
• Your muscles may be tight
• You may feel hot
• Or you may have a sudden urge to relieve yourself
• You may sweat, particularly on your palms
• Your head may pound
• You may shake or tremble
• You may feel dizzy

Your mind may be affected in many ways too: 

• You may feel tense, nervous, or unable to relax
• You can feel guilty
• You may be resentful towards other people or situations
• You can be easily irritated
• And you may feel humiliated

Anger can also affect our daily life by causing lack of sleep, elevated stress and anxiety, high blood pressure, and even cardiac arrest!

By recognizing these signs and symptoms, you can decide how you want to respond to a situation before taking any action. Having trouble managing your anger is inevitable in the heat of the moment, but the earlier you catch yourself feeling angry, the easier it can be to control it.

Ways to manage anger

There are many theories of emotion. The first step in managing anger is learning tools to help us recognize our “triggers” for it and understand our reactions to it. We also need to identify irrational beliefs and negative thoughts that may lead to an angry response.o an angry response.

The next step in managing our anger is learning appropriate tools to help us control the reactions to these triggers, in our case, anger.

Later in this blog, we will discuss two of the most effective therapy methods for anger management: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).

How to look for anger management therapy in NYC

Set Your Goals for What Type of Anger Management Therapy and Therapist You’re Searching For:

• What type of therapy model are you looking for? Group or individual treatment? If you have a specific one in mind, make sure the therapist practices that model.
• Before signing up for therapy, define your goals as a patient/client and ask yourself, will this tool provide the help I need? Are you more comfortable in person or using Teletherapy? Are there other considerations that may affect your decision? For example, Teletherapy may not be suitable for every situation. 

Make sure you are accessing a reputable and secure service: 

• Some “Apps” that claim to provide therapy might be developed by people who are not licensed or qualified. Some of these sites may be making unsubstantiated claims about therapy.
• What about the security of the site or application? Will the confidentiality of my information be maintained as required by State and Federal law? Besides being able to share deeply personal and sometimes difficult stories, thoughts, or emotions, one of the reasons therapy works is that therapists make sure the client has a safe, private space in which to do so. Except in certain situations, what takes place and is said in a therapy office remains there. If possible, you should use a site or app that complies with HIPAA rules and lets you and your therapist verify their identities.
• What are the credentials of the therapist? Be sure they are licensed. Most states do not protect words such as therapist and psychotherapist from being used, so anyone can refer to themselves as a therapist and offer the same types of services as those associated with therapy. There may be times when you are unsure whether you are receiving evidence-based psychotherapy. It is a good idea to advocate for yourself in psychotherapy. Understanding what therapy is being offered and why is important. You can ask what kind of psychotherapy you are receiving and if it has evidence of being effective. Asking your psychotherapist what kind of therapy they are providing and what kind of scientific support it has for treating your issues is a very reasonable set of questions. The therapist should welcome that kind of conversation and respond with helpful information in an open and warm way. This shouldn’t be viewed as hostility or an aggressive challenge. This kind of conversation can build rapport, comfort, trust, and motivation.

Check if the therapist is appropriately licensed in New York State: 

• State licensing is required for therapists and other healthcare providers. Licensure laws ensure that only qualified individuals (or those under supervision) may practice. Additionally, it guarantees your right to remedy, or at least a state evaluation, in case of problems with your treatment. Please get to know the therapists you are working with, do they have licenses, where those licenses are kept, and where that license number is found before you agree to any Web services. State licensing agencies maintain online, searchable directories of licensed professionals.
• The laws and rules of each state govern the issue of licenses, just like the requirements to earn a driver’s license in each state. A health care provider, however, is only permitted to provide services in the state in which they are licensed. If you do not know where the provider is physically located, it may not be easy to determine whether they are licensed in the jurisdiction where you reside.

Why cognitive behavior therapy is the best anger management therapy?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that emphasizes the relationships between our environment, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT teaches an easy-to-remember model…as easy as A-B-C!

Let’s take a look:

A X B = C

Activators X Beliefs = Consequences (anger)

An activator for anger is an event or situation, actual or imagined, that makes it more likely an angry feeling will occur. Examples of these activating events could be a traffic jam, a rude comment by a cashier, or a passive-aggressive comment by a family member. Those are all external activators, i.e., things that occur outside the individual. 

There are also internal activators, those occurring under the skin. Internal activators can include physiological states like being tired, hungry, or sick; emotional conditions like anxiety, hurt, or embarrassment; physical sensations like pain; or anything else internal.  

The next step in managing our anger is learning skills such as confronting anger provocations with new adaptive behaviors, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation. Your learning will also include ‘homework’ reviews and assessments of these new tools.

How long to expect anger management to work?

Programs for anger management may be run as groups or as one-on-one counseling sessions. 

A typical anger management therapy program lasts between twelve weeks to twenty weeks, but some programs last longer.

What to expect in anger management in New York Behavioral Health?

With New York Behavioral Health, you can choose various treatment options. Our therapists are experienced experts in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), specifically, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), and Traditional Behavior Therapy. You can find a therapist that is the best fit for you according to personality, style, and therapeutic approach.  

Schedule Anger Management Treatment Session in New York

Your mental and physical health can significantly benefit from anger management therapy. Find your therapist at https://www.newyorkbehavioralhealth.com/find-your-therapist/ and schedule an appointment online, in-person, or even both.

References:

Adler, A. B., Leardmann, C. A., Roenfeldt, K. A., Jacobson, I. G., & Forbes, D. (2020). Magnitude of problematic anger and its predictors in the Millennium Cohort. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/S12889-020-09206-2/TABLES/2