Healthy vs Uncontrolled Anger
Anger is a natural human emotion. As any parent knows, children experience anger from a very early age, usually in response to having their wants and desires interfered with. As adults, our anger responses can range from mild annoyance with traffic to intense rage about injustice or betrayal. Experiencing and expressing anger is not unhealthy or wrong. Finding constructive channels for your ‘anger energy’ can be very useful. It can motivate you to make changes or address problems. However, when anger becomes uncontrolled and disrupts your daily life and relationships, it can indicate underlying psychological distress.
Causes of Uncontrolled Anger
Various factors, including genetic predispositions, environmental influences, and social
factors, can cause uncontrolled anger. There may also be irregularities in brain chemistry and neurotransmitters such as
serotonin and dopamine involved. Let us explore some of the causes in more detail:
Trauma and Abuse
Individuals who have experienced trauma or abuse in childhood may develop difficulties regulating their emotions, especially when current situations activate or ‘trigger’ some of the emotional and psychological effects of these early experiences. In many cases, anger, or aggression is a defence against re-experiencing the vulnerability of past traumas.
Substance Misuse
Substance abuse can be the precursor to uncontrolled anger and an attempt to regulate or eliminate the emotions or memories that fuel anger outbursts. For some individuals, drugs and alcohol can impair judgment and increase disinhibition, thus resulting in aggression or violence. Others try to dampen their anger with substances but never deal with the underlying psychological factors that give rise to anger.
Mental Health Disorders
In some cases, mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder can make individuals more vulnerable to dysregulated emotions, including anger. For example, underlying depression can present as anger and irritability rather than sadness or low mood. Anxiety can manifest as a need for control, which can result in anger outbursts when not satisfied.
Stress and Frustration
In some cases, mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder can make individuals more vulnerable to dysregulated emotions, including anger. For example, underlying depression can present as anger and irritability rather than sadness or low mood. Anxiety can manifest as a need for control, which can result in anger outbursts when not satisfied.
How online therapy can help
Several approaches to online therapy can be effective in helping individuals to manage their uncontrolled anger and reduce the risk of aggressive or violent behaviour. Some of the techniques used in online therapy include:
