There are many common reasons individuals choose to seek rehabilitative treatment, including alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, and bipolar disorder. However, some disorders aren’t usually thought of as treatable because they’re viewed as personality traits. For an individual who finds themselves frequently being angry, feeling their rage is beyond their control, and hurting others physically or verbally, it’s likely time to consider visiting a rehab for anger management.
Someone with a condition like intermittent explosive disorder may regret something they’ve said when they were angry. They may also be unable to communicate in a calm way once their emotions become heightened.
If these experiences sound familiar to you or align with the behavior of someone you love, it’s important to understand that treatment options are available. Rehab programs are available for anger management that can help you get your life back on track and improve your relationships.
What Conditions Do Severe Anger Issues Indicate?
According to a 2016 article in Clinical Psychology Review, anger issues are present in five psychological conditions that require mental health treatment. These are intermittent explosive disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, borderline personality disorder, and bipolar disorder. In order for a mental health professional to diagnose one of these conditions, they typically look for anger issues.
Types of Therapy Available
Throughout treatment, a therapist provides new tools and methods for coping to ultimately change the way the patient responds in certain situations. Anger caused by past trauma and resentment towards someone else can also come to the surface through talk therapy, which can help a person understand the reason for their behavior. Once they understand it, they can take actionable steps towards change.
Breathwork therapy is a useful tool in managing anger because it can clear out emotional stress and blocks to improve the patient’s overall mental and spiritual well-being. This therapy uses breathing to bring the patient into a relaxed state where they can access otherwise repressed thoughts and work through these built-up emotions.
Creative Therapies for Emotional Healing
Expressive arts therapy is another potential treatment option that can benefit individuals dealing with anger management issues. This type of therapy uses various forms of creative expression to facilitate emotional understanding and healing. Examples of expressive arts therapy include visual arts psychotherapy, writing and poetry therapy, and music therapy.
Music therapy can improve recovery from a wide range of mental health disorders and provides the following benefits:
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Improves mood
- Facilitates emotional processing
- Encourages communication
- Builds personal relationships
Group Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Group therapy is another excellent option when undergoing rehab for anger management. These group sessions target a specific issue everyone in the group shares, so in the case of anger management, everyone at the session will be looking to better manage their anger issues. Members of the group share their experiences, emotional responses, and learnings to support and encourage each other on the journey to recovery. Group therapy also creates a community of people on the same path who can hold each other accountable and support each other along the way.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of talk therapy that examines the negative thoughts a person has and how they can reprogram their way of thinking to change their response to a situation. It can help them have a more positive response in future situations where they’d usually respond with anger.
The Benefits of Therapy in Managing and Treating Anger Disorders
Therapy for anger management benefits the individual in the same way it helps manage other mental health conditions. Through therapy, an individual becomes aware of their triggers, allowing them to understand what sparks that anger and how they normally respond to such triggers.
There are many benefits to attending therapy as part of outpatient or inpatient anger management treatment. Some advantages include:
- Improved empathy
- Less stress
- Better overall health
- Learning how to avoid conflict
- Improved communication skills
- Better personal relationships
- Better decision-making skills
Do Anger Issues Overlap With Addiction?
Anger issues and drug addiction frequently overlap and can coexist as part of a vicious cycle. Someone with anger issues due to a mental health condition may turn to drug abuse as a coping method. In turn, the result of abusing drugs can increase these instances of negative emotion.
A 2016 study found that high anger levels as a baseline for participants were associated with increasingly poor outcomes, including being more likely to relapse on drugs within a 12-month period than those with a normal/low anger level. In addition to worse outcomes post-treatment, the study also noted that adolescents who were identified as having a high level of anger also had higher levels of substance use pre-treatment.
Anger Management Rehab Is Available
Although many people go to rehab for mental health conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, or substance abuse, it’s less common for people to turn to rehab for anger management. However, one 2016 study found the prevalence of poorly controlled anger issues in the U.S. population was 7.8%. In many cases, a person may not realize the anger they’re experiencing is part of their mental health and can be addressed or treated in a way that improves their quality of life. Taking the step of contacting an anger management facility about treatment options is the first part of the journey to a better future.
Whether you opt for inpatient or outpatient rehab treatment is a personal decision based on your circumstances. Each has its unique benefits; inpatient treatment is a more supportive environment where the sole focus is your self-improvement and well-being. However, outpatient treatment is typically more affordable and requires less upheaval in your personal life.
FHE Health Is a Safe Place to Address Anger Issues
At FHE Health, we have a compassionate team of counselors on standby to take your call when you’re ready to start the treatment process. Support for anger management and techniques for improving your communication and personal relationships through addressing this issue is just a phone call away. Contact us today by calling (833) 596-3502.
