Author: John Carter

Anger Management Therapy: Techniques and Efficacy

Medications are another option to consider when needed, but they’re not always go-to options. You’ll need to talk with your healthcare team to figure out which course of treatment is right for you. She provides clinical expertise for press/public initiatives on Talkspace research and mental health in the news.

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Sometimes, agitation may appear in the form of anger. Alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan) are fast-acting benzodiazepines that can be used to help people calm down, but they shouldn’t be taken long-term for this. However, if you feel angry often or intensely, anger management therapy can help.

Do Psychiatrists Prescribe Medication for Anger Issues?

The types of antidepressants are typically prescribed for depression and anxiety disorders, but they can also treat anger disorders by regulating mood and reducing intense anger. It’s important to note that anger isn’t an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Thus, no medication has been FDA-approved to treat anger. That said, several drugs are used off-label to treat anger (meaning they’re effective but weren’t developed for or FDA-approved to treat a specific condition). For instance, through anger management therapy, you may realize that yelling at your spouse is related to observing your parents yell when growing up. Or, you may learn that you engage in this behavior because you believe you’ll only get what you want if you yell.

Try to be realistic about what you can and cannot change. Remind yourself that anger won’t fix anything and might only make it worse. When possible, leave or avoid situations that upset you. Also, scheduling personal time to allow you to lower stress may help you to better handle an upcoming stressful or frustrating situation.

Are There Medications for Anger Management?

  1. Keep in mind that cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, even though it’s allowed in some states.
  2. Intermittent explosive disorder is a behavioral disorder characterized by extreme expressions of anger, often to the point of violence, that are disproportionate to the situation at hand.
  3. In one survey of adults with HIV, many people said they used cannabis to reduce anger.
  4. A 2017 study found that CBT was helpful to table tennis players with anger management issues.
  5. Other classes of antidepressants, like serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), aren’t widely used for treating anger.

They can encourage forgiveness and compassion, offer ways to let go of hurt and disappointment, and help you repair and accept ruptured relationships. Role-playing offers opportunities to practice skills that can enhance anger control, such as assertiveness and direct communication. Anger management therapy can equip you with strategies to disrupt your anger or manage your response to it through avoidance or distraction. A therapist can help you problem-solve how to respond when you’re angry.

Mayo Clinic Press

Keep in mind that cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, even though it’s allowed in some states. Depending on your preferences, you can choose to opt for individual treatment or group therapy. Individual therapy sessions offer more privacy and one-on-one interaction whereas group therapy sessions can help you recognize that you don’t have to go through this alone. Your therapist will also work with you to practice changing your response patterns.

If you are in a life threatening situation – don’t use this site. Call 988 or use these resources to get immediate help. Talk to your doctor if side effects of Zoloft, Prozac, or other SSRIs worsen or start to affect your quality of life. Therapy can also involve restructuring thinking and changing attitudes related to anger, particularly if a CBT approach is used. The therapist will help you examine your attitudes and ways of thinking to identify patterns that might exacerbate anger, such as ruminating, catastrophizing, judging, fortune-telling, or magnifying.

Almost any medication you take can have side effects. It’s also worth noting that anger may be a symptom of or the result of a mental health condition, and the type of medication you’re prescribed might depend on that diagnosis. A 2017 study found that CBT was helpful to table tennis players with anger management issues. Even one year after completing treatment, participants were less likely to negatively express anger or react angrily.

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is a mental health condition marked by frequent impulsive anger outbursts or aggression. The episodes are out of proportion to the situation that triggered them and cause significant distress. Newer antipsychotics — also called atypical antipsychotics — may help with anger or agitation related to certain health conditions.