Anger Management

When Is Anger Helpful?

It’s normal for everyone to feel angry sometimes. Anger serves a purpose just like any other emotion and can be constructive in certain situations. It can help with protecting or defending ourselves, act as a signal for when our boundaries have been violated or when we are in danger, and fuel motivation to change or take action towards a goal.

When Is Anger Unhelpful?

Anger can be unhelpful when it becomes uncontrolled and excessive, leading to problematic consequences for ourselves and others. Problematic anger can harm our relationships and hamper our productivity as a result of managing it in unhelpful ways, like becoming verbally or physically aggressive. It can also lead to health problems and legal consequences.

What Are Anger Management Issues?

Signs of anger management issues include:

  • Feeling angry more frequently than usual

  • Anger that is excessive and disproportionate to the situation

  • Experiencing anger that feels overwhelming and is difficult to control

  • Aggressive behaviour, such as verbal aggression or physical violence

  • Impaired decision-making and impulsivity

  • Relationship issues in personal or professional settings due to inappropriate expressions of anger and increased interpersonal conflict with friends, family, colleagues, etc.

  • Engaging in destructive behaviour while angry (e.g., property damage, assault) that leads to legal consequences

  • Fear of losing control over anger or hurting others

How Do We Treat Anger Management Issues?

Anger management issues can be treated with therapeutic interventions that aim to improve your ability to regulate emotions. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), including mindfulness, can help you develop strategies for managing anger more effectively. We will help you identify your triggers for and markers of anger to catch anger early before it spirals out of control, teach you skills to manage heightened arousal, and improve your ability to communicate assertively and effectively. 

The Anger Management Team