What it is:
Anger is a cognitive, physiological, and emotional experience that occurs in response to an injustice (real or perceived) or to the belief that a goal has been blocked or denied, often with antagonism toward someone or something a person feels has caused this or wronged them. The experience of anger includes thoughts (e.g., “This is unfair”), behaviors (e.g., yelling, breaking things, insulting others, ruminating), and physiological arousal (e.g., increased heart rate, muscle tension, sweating). While anger is a natural emotion that all people experience at times, adults who have problems regulating anger (i.e., difficulty reducing their anger) may seek treatment to better manage their anger. Adults with anger dysregulation often report that they feel angry more easily, more often, or more intensely than those around them. They may also struggle with problematic behaviors that stem from attempts to reduce or respond to their anger, such as verbal or physical aggression. As a result, adults who struggle with anger often have difficulty managing interpersonal relationships or tolerating situations that feel unfair. Sometimes they notice that others are afraid of them, or they later regret what they said/did when they were very angry.
Does This Sound Familiar?
- I seem to get angry or mad more easily than other people seem to
- I can’t let an injustice or unfairness go
- It seems like anger is the only emotion I feel
- I am more often angry or mad than other people I know
- Once I’m angry, it’s hard for me to calm down or reset
- I think a lot about how to get even or payback others that have wronged me
- People have told me I have an “anger management” problem
- My brain seems to constantly negatively judge the things and people around me
- I feel resentful or bitter a lot of the time
- No one or thing seems to live up to my expectations
- I’m a different- and scarier- person when I get angry
- I get mad about little things and have a hard time letting go of them
- Sometimes my anger scares people around me
Associated Concerns:
Adults struggling to manage anger often notice they have difficulty with other emotions as well, particularly anxiety or shame.
Dysregulated anger can co-occur with mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, trauma-related, and personality disorders (e.g., Borderline Personality Disorder).
Specialty Services at TAP:
Below are a list of empirically supported assessments or therapies that one or more of our specialists could provide. Click on an intervention to learn more!