Does Anger Management Really Work?

If you or someone you love have problems with rage and a violent temper you may have considered anger management. But does it really work, and how could it possibly work? In the heat of the moment it can be hard to tell if you rely on the techniques that you learned in therapy, and overcome the spike in emotions.

Overview
Some people get court ordered to take anger management courses if they get into trouble with the law over their aggressive tempers. Others seek it out on their own in order to lead a better, more balanced life. Still others have their friends and family perform somewhat of an intervention to get them to stop their behavior and make the proper changes.

Regardless of how it presents itself, those that are suffering from a condition of overactive anger gland will find help in the form of a series of tried and true methods that have been used successfully for decades.

The Claim
The claim is that those that suffer from excess anger will be able to function properly in society and curtail their outbursts in a peaceful manner. By being able to get past the things that trigger anger-fueled reactions a person with excessive anger will be able to feel better, and not explode at improper, or inopportune times.

The Hype
The movie by the same name starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson brought to light the process of anger management and why someone would need it. It also used the techniques as fodder for comedic value, showing the characters singing songs when they got angry.

Many people have already been aware that anger management exists, but did not know exactly what it entails. In fact, most people

make joking references to it when someone overreacts to a situation, like “You should take some anger management courses.” Because it is so well known in mainstream culture, it can be hard for a person to seriously consider it as a solution.

The Cost
Anger managements costs will vary entirely on the setting that you take courses in, as well as the fees imposed by the psychiatrist. If you are in a group setting you will be able to get a reduced rate, but still get all of the benefits. If you decide to take one on one classes you’ll be able to get individualized attention, but you’ll pay a premium for it.

The Commitment
You have to be sincerely committed to working on your anger issues. You have to be willing to admit that you have a problem and seek out the help. You then have to listen to what is recommended by the psychiatrist and follow the steps for treatment. Failure to take the process seriously, or to follow through with all the steps would result in less than desired results.

Evaluation
Anger management seems to follow a rather outdated approach to giving yourself a good temper. There should be an in-depth analysis as to why you feel the way you do and start unraveling the emotions you have that you are using anger to cover them up with. Often times it’s not what’s in front of us that is making us angry, it is just triggering something deeper within us. Rather than dealing with these complex emotions we bury them with anger and other false emotions. It’s a safety mechanism that saves us from feeling the pain we have inside.

Does Anger Management Really Work?

Anger management works if you have the right

therapist and if you’ve been properly diagnosed as having an anger problem. Getting angry is natural, and only those that take it to the ultimate extreme will need to take steps to calm themselves down enough to deal with the situation at hand with an even keel.

Our Recommendation
If you’re overly angry the goal shouldn’t be to manage your anger, but to dispel it entirely. You should get down to the bottom of what’s making you angry and sort your feelings out about it. Coming up with coping techniques is a good way to make it through the day, or through stressful situations, but it’s only treating the symptom of an underlying problem.

What do you think? Does Anger Management really work?