Anger management therapy
When is this needed?
People seeking anger management are often people who are experiencing physical expressions of anger beyond the usual frustrations and irritability felt at times by all of us. Acting out on angry feelings can lead to violence and many people seeking anger management are facing a form of life crisis brought about by the impact of violence either in the home or in wider society. Feelings of frustration, irritability and anger can be normal emotions felt in response to life situations, but can become a problem when they are triggered far too readily and provoke an extreme response or are difficult to cope with when they spill over into physical violence.
Who does it affect?
Sadly, we know that domestic violence is extremely common and in wider society violence can be a frequent occurrence. The populous media have created unhelpful caricatures of "air rage" and "road rage" which almost trivialise the aggressive and violent interpersonal behaviour.
Causes of anger
Feelings of anger or violent acting out can be related to many and different underlying difficulties and each case for this reason requires careful evaluation and assessment. Underlying mental health difficulties need to be identified and treated, interpersonal difficulties may need to be addressed and alcohol or substance use will need to be tackled.
How can it be treated?
After the picture has been clarified, and any underlying conditions dealt with, then individuals can often benefit greatly from psychological intervention which may involve a variety of different forms ranging from a group therapy programme to a one-to-one intervention. There is no generalised treatment for each individual and they all need to be tackled differently. Many individuals can have underlying difficulties with low self- esteem that can be severe as well as mistrust issues and past abuse issues. There may be a great many interlocking features that have led an individual to anger problems and a co-ordinated treatment will involve full participation of the individual in a safe, supportive environment with the promotion of appropriate coping behaviours and skills acquisition with regards to interpersonal communication, learning skills of appreciating other people's points of view and managing communication situations appropriately.
There is, therefore, no one size fits all approach that is appropriate and each situation requires careful evaluation.
How Priory can help
Priory has been helping to treat people with anger issues for over 25 years. We know that everyone's situation is different, which is why we ensure that everyone has a unique treatment plan tailored to their needs.
The type and length of treatment is dependent on the individual's circumstances and the severity of the condition. Some patients are treated as outpatients, which means they come to Priory for hourly sessions with their consultant, psychologist or therapist. Others require more structured treatment approach, which can include taking part in group therapy as part of our daycare programme.
For more information or to request an initial assessment, please call 0845 2 PRIORY (0845 2 774 679) or email info@priorygroup.com
To view a list of the Priory hospitals that can help with anger management therapy please click here.
For more support
If you feel you may be affected by anger issues and would like help or more information, you can ask your GP or contact any of the following organisations:
The Samaritans
www.samaritans.co.uk
08457 909090
If you are interested in receiving treatment from us, your GP will be able to refer you.