Despite the beneficial aspects of mild to moderate anger, most of us are well aware that anger can sometimes get out of control, fueling aggression and leading to problems with one’s health, relationships, occupational performance, and overall quality of life. This is what we mean by unhealthy, maladaptive, or dysfunctional anger.

In determining whether someone is experiencing the sort of anger that might lead to these problems, psychologists often assess the intensity, frequency, and duration of angry episodes relative to others (i.e., trait anger), how someone expresses and manages his or her anger (i.e., anger expression and control), and the type of consequences angry episodes have produced. Such an evaluation can be very helpful in planning an effective course of treatment.

Some people who have problems with anger already realize it. They may feel out of control or act in ways that seem uncontrolled or frightening to others. They may experience negative effects of their anger in important relationships, work, or other roles. And they have often had others express concerns about their anger. For them, the initial challenge is likely to involve determining how best to help them reduce their level of anger arousal and learn effective anger control strategies.

Other people who have problems with anger are not aware that their anger is excessive or that their reactions differ from those of others. In many cases, they blame others for their anger (e.g., “If others would just do what I wanted, I wouldn’t be angry all the time.”). It may also be that they are simply unaware of how their behavior affects those around them. Their initial challenge may be one of recognizing that they have a problem and developing the motivation to change.

Tags: anger management