Taking Care of Summer Self-care
Anger Management
While anger can be a normal and healthy response, out-of-control anger is frightening for you and the people around you.
Learning to manage out-of-control anger can be a challenge, especially when it can get us the results we want in the short-term by getting someone else to do what you want them to do.
In the long-term, though, it erodes trust and deteriorates the quality of the relationship, ultimately causing damage that can be difficult, though not impossible, to repair.
The goal of anger management therapy, then, is to improve our self-control, manage the intensity of our anger, and learn to express it in a healthy, productive way. Some of the types of treatment used in managing anger are:
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Behavioral therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are effective for understanding the thoughts that trigger our anger. By exploring these thoughts and utilizing some elements of Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, we can develop coping skills and eventually learn to think, feel, and behave differently and feel less out of control.
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Often, uncontrolled anger is the result of an underlying condition, like post-traumatic stress or depression. In psychodynamic therapy, another type of talk therapy, your therapist can help you identify the root cause of your anger and reactions, and correct unhealthy patterns.
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Couples and family therapy, in conjunction with anger management treatment, is helpful for resolving conflict, improving communication among family members, and healing relationships.
In all cases, your treatment plan is tailored to your needs and circumstances. Understanding the conditions that precede or trigger uncontrolled anger, and learning to change those behaviors, is the beginning of changing your life and relationships.