| Everyone has heard of road rage incidents wherein | | | | According to the Harvard Letter, "Anger management |
| usually calm and responsible people "snap" and commit | | | | through a combination of cognitive restructuring, coping |
| an aggressive or violent act. Turns out, that "losing | | | | skills training and relaxation training look promising." This |
| one's temper" can occur in many different life | | | | means that to control rage, people need to learn how |
| situations and cause serious emotional or physical | | | | to think differently about life events, and to learn |
| harm to others. It is a pattern in which tension builds | | | | specific skills to deal with common anger "triggers." |
| until an explosion brings relief, followed later by regret, | | | | One of the recommended skills is that of learning to |
| embarrassment, or guilt. Called "Intermittent Explosive | | | | deal with stress through relaxation training. |
| Disorder"(IED),it is defined by attacks of impulsive rage | | | | Other skills that anger management clients have found |
| that seem out of proportion to the immediate | | | | to be extremely useful include: |
| provocation and has serious consequences such as | | | | - developing empathy toward others (seeing the world |
| verbal abuse, threats, property damage, assaults, and | | | | as they see it) |
| injury. | | | | - taking charge of how you respond to stress, rather |
| HOW COMMON IS IT? | | | | than just reacting instinctively |
| As reported in the September, 2006 edition of | | | | - changing self-talk to create different emotions in |
| "Harvard Mental Health Letter," recent research on IED | | | | response to anger triggers |
| is showing that this condition is more common and | | | | - learning to communicate assertively rather than with |
| more destructive than anyone had supposed. One | | | | anger |
| study showed that people with more severe cases (at | | | | - letting go of resentments, grievances and grudges |
| least three rage attacks in one year) averaged 56 | | | | - retreating to think things over and calming down |
| life-time attacks resulting in an average of $1600 worth | | | | before blowing up in rage |
| of property damage and 23 incidents in which | | | | HOW CAN YOU FIND A PROGRAM THAT |
| someone required medical attention. | | | | TEACHES THESE SKILLS? |
| WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO HAVE THESE | | | | Anger management programs are becoming more |
| EPISODES? | | | | common across the country. The following resources |
| According to research, the percentages suffering from | | | | provide directories of qualified providers, some of |
| this disorder are about the same for men and women, | | | | which teach the specific skills listed above: |
| blacks and whites. Only age made a difference. | | | | - National Anger Management Association(NAMA) |
| Younger people were more likely than older people to | | | | - American Association of Anger Management |
| show these uncontrolled rage episodes. As you might | | | | Providers |
| suspect, persons who suffer from IED are more at | | | | - Century Anger Management which specifically trains |
| risk for other emotional problems because of the | | | | providers in the listed anger control skills |
| increased stress in their lives. | | | | In addition, there are a variety of home-study and |
| WHAT CAUSES THE ATTACKS? | | | | online programs appearing on the internet. The quality |
| Behavior patterns such as rage attacks are complex. | | | | of these programs vary a great deal, so it is prudent |
| Scientists do not yet have the answers as to what | | | | and wise to pick one that is authored by credible |
| triggers rage episodes but it may have to do with brain | | | | mental health professionals and is approved or |
| chemistry problems as well as the outlook that people | | | | certified by state agencies (although unfortunately |
| have about life and attitudes about how to handle life | | | | most states do not approve or disapprove anger |
| frustrations and stress. | | | | management programs) or other professional bodies. |
| WHAT TREATMENTS HELP? | | | | |