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When to Seek Anger Management

Anger management is a term used to refer to therapeutic strategies that help people rise above their feelings of anger, and avoid destructive impulses brought about by that anger.  Some people enroll in individual therapy sessions to practice anger management. Others may engage in group therapy sessions to help them manage their anger.

An anger management therapy may be required by the court, especially if there are clear indications that a person needs help in managing his temper. In some states, prisons have already started anger management sessions for criminals with violent background for them to learn how to overcome their fury-driven behaviors. Normally, individuals join anger management therapies or classes upon realizing that their reactions and behaviors are beyond the accepted norms.
There are various anger management models used, but perhaps the most popular is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT. Using this method, participants learn to identify their "hot thoughts" or feelings that make them angry, list down the reasons that make those thoughts justifiable or unjustifiable, and re-evaluate their level of anger.

It is the aim of CBT to make individuals stop and think. By analysing their anger, they avoid doing things that may be destructive both to themselves and to the people around them. By becoming more skillful at CBT, patients learn how to do it in their minds. So then it becomes much easier for them to dismiss hot thoughts or situations that stir up anger.

The success of anger management depends on how much an individual is willing to deal with his feelings of anger. There may also be underlying conditions leading to anger such as anxiety disorder, severe depression, or bipolar conditions. Knowing these conditions is also important to help identify those who may need to take some medications to help them fully recover. Ii is possible to manage your anger, and the CBT model has been proven successful in helping those who are willing to apply the technique in their daily lives.