“Anger management” is a term that is used loosely nowadays and even used jokingly in movies and conversations to refer to treatment that might help emotionally explosive individuals. But, anger is a real and powerful emotion and can be dangerous both for the person with deep feelings of anger and for those around him/her. 

Anger is more complicated than we think. There are many different reasons that we feel angry. But, we can be sure that feelings of anger are always an indicator that something is going on emotionally and needs to be addressed. Because anger can result from so many types of emotional problems and disorders, I sometimes find it helpful to break down the cause of anger into three main groups or causes:

1. Righteous anger:  This kind of anger surfaces when we become rightly upset about social injustices such as human trafficking, human slavery, child abuse, etc. We feel upset because we know what is happening is wrong and hurtful to the human race.

2. Outside anger:  This kind of anger occurs when something happens to us (anger in grieving the death of a loved one) or someone hurts us mentally, emotionally, physically, etc. When loved ones die we feel angry that they were taken from us and/or had to suffer. When someone hurts us in any way, we feel angry—whether their actions were intentional or not.

3. Internal anger:  This kind of anger comes from within and could be a sign of a mental health disorder. You may even wake up feeling angry.  Sometimes internal anger is actually caused by previous outside anger. For example, you may wake up feeling angry the day after your friend verbally assaulted you because you have not yet dealt with the issue. Or, you may feel angry from day-to-day because your spouse is an alcoholic and refuses to get treatment. With internal anger there may not be a single event a person can point to as the source of the anger. Nevertheless, internal anger should not be ignored. It is often an indicator that a life change is in order.

Whether or not you fully understand the root of your anger, a licensed mental health counselor can help you. Anger is an indication that you need a change emotionally. Think of anger as you would a check engine light on your car. When feelings of anger persist, it is time to speak with a therapist to sort out what is fueling these feelings and how you can regain peace in your daily life. If you are dealing with a life stressor that is stirring up feelings of anger, or if you feel angry more often than not and are in need of insight and direction, a trained psychotherapist can help you. Please call Life Enhancement Counseling Services today at 407-443-8862 to make an appointment with an experienced Orlando Licensed Mental Health Counselor.