How to keep a lid on anger

Do you lose your temper at work? Or suffer road rage? If so, the chances are that somebody at some point has mentioned the idea of an anger management course to you. But do they really work?

Anger management courses are usually recommended to individuals who are known to pick arguments frequently, or who have threatened others. Sometimes they are also offered to those who simply appear constantly edgy, critical of, or impatient with everyone and everything. Individuals may seek help of their own accord if they’re worried about feeling out of control even when they tell themselves to stay calm, or if they know they’re taking unacceptable risks, such as driving too fast.

Studies tell us that individuals who are highly impulsive – a characteristic that can be managed but is hard to eradicate – are more at risk of angry outbursts. At the other extreme are those individuals, often women, who hold back their true feelings or deny their own needs and desires, until their frustration manifests in angry outbursts.

In such cases, people seek help because they’re exhausted, sometimes even depressed, because of the effort needed to control their anger and feelings of resentment.

Symptoms that suggest an individual is mismanaging angry feelings may include insomnia, digestive problems, headaches, raised blood pressure and intrusive negative thoughts. However, because these symptoms also arise for other reasons – such as physical problems, depression or OCD – the individual’s own evaluation about what’s causing their symptoms is vital when considering a diagnosis and recommending anger management courses.

What, then, actually happens on these courses? Usually they consist of six to 10 sessions, conducted in a group or one-to-one. Participants are given assignments to work on between sessions. Courses may vary in content, but four ingredients are essential. Participants must learn to identify the triggers that give rise to their anger, and then learn ways to calm down. They should be encouraged to stand up for themselves in more constructive ways, and then learn how to solve problems rationally and systematically.

Although anger management courses are widely available and highly recommended, there have been surprisingly few studies to evaluate their effectiveness. Those that do exist tend to rely on anecdotal reports, rather than objective measures such as increased performance at work or fewer visits to the GP.

To be fair, most individuals who’ve attended anger management courses do say they’ve been helped. What we don’t know is how long the benefits last. What we do know is that an environment that supports the changes the individual has made is vital.

Anger management courses are based on cognitive behavioural techniques. Participants learn to manage their anger both by changing behaviour and by thinking in fresh ways. However, the best way to maintain gains is not only to teach strategies for managing anger, but also to find ways to reduce tension wherever that individual has trouble

coping, too.