anger control essay

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

A Plus Topper

Improve your Grades

Anger Management Essay | Control Your Anger, Anger Can Cause Problems

October 19, 2021 by Prasanna

Anger Management Essay: There are many types of emotions in the human body: sadness, happiness, fear, and anger. Anger is also a normal state of emotion when it is used in a positive way. Anger sometimes can help you reach the target when you are trying to achieve something in life and if you control it on time because it is the most dangerous emotion amongst all if it gets out of control.

You can also find more  Essay Writing articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long Essay on Anger Management

It is a universal fact that you cannot eliminate anger emotions from your life, as every emotion is very important in your life and plays a very important role in individual life in different ways. Anger sometimes can be a way of showing people that they are upset because they care or they love you. Similarly anger can lead to a fight and can destroy everything in future if it touches rage.

Example of Anger Management

I am sharing a small example regarding anger. Our parents love us, they get us everything that we ask for but in return they always ask for good studies and good behaviour and when we don’t follow what they want they might also get angry at us. But this is not at all a negative emotion, this is actually a very positive emotion in this situation because they are angry for our betterment in future. They will only get angry for a few seconds but in the second minute they control their anger and console us, pamper us and love us and make us understand calmly. What would happen if they couldn’t control their anger? Yes the answer is it will destroy the life of everyone in the family.

Effects of Anger

Anger can cause high blood pressure. It can create a space for revenge and rage in our lives if we don’t control it on time. Stress and depression are the main causes of anger and it can also lead you to smoke cigarettes, consume large quantities of alcohol, and also you might end up eating a lot and you might face the issue of being overweight and which might also lead you back to depression. So this cycle keeps on rotating from stress to depression to getting angry.

Best way to control your anger is to get professional help. Anger is not a disease, so you don’t have to worry about getting professional help. It will only help you to control your anger. It’s always better to take anger management classes. Anger management can cause issues and problems in your personal life and professional life and even in school for kids.

Unfortunately even kids are getting anger issues with the change in lifestyle, in change in behaviour. Every kid is running for admission in a good school, taking extra classes plus hobby classes which is leading every kid into stress and depression. The reason kids get into depression is because their parents force them to be in competition. Irony is that depression leads them to getting angry in every situation.They stop listening to their parents and even their school teacher, and then end up taking anger management classes. I would say it again that it’s not bad to seek professional help, it will help you to overcome the situation you are in.

Anger is typically caused by failures in school or life, misunderstood by others every time, people take you for granted on every point, pressure etc. so you start reacting and this reaction can lead you to lose control of yourself and you might end up saying anything in anger to others. Anger is in control when it is not creating issues to others, but the time it starts creating problems to others and starts hurting them this is a problem for you and your loved ones or people around you in office or school.

Short Essay on Anger Management

Best way to control anger is to find out the reason behind it and try to find the solution instead of reacting to it. Changing your thoughts also can help you to get control over your anger. Sometimes expectations also push you into anger if your expectation is not fulfilled so the best way to control anger is to stop expecting immediately, forgive the person behind it.

Also one of the famous tricks to control your anger is to take a break from it for a few minutes. Try finding the reason behind the stress which can become anger in future and immediately start working on it. So when you find the reason behind the anger, just take a break for a while and rethink it twice and sort the issue out. Anger is not the solution.

Anger is not a bad emotion instead it’s a good emotion when expressed in a proper way. Taking anger management classes will not help you to lose anger because it is not a process to ignore your anger but it will help you in a healthy way to learn how to react when this emotion gets into you. It will help you not to go into physical fights or verbal abuse which might be a big issue of yourself and your family members.

FAQ’s on Anger Management Essay

Question 1. What are the types of emotion in life?

Answer: There are many emotions in life but sadness, happiness, fear and anger are the main emotions that exist in our life.

Question 2. What can cause anger in person?

Answer: Getting angry is very common these days because of our lifestyle. Lots of work pressure in the office can also lead us to stress and depression. Which will lead you to anger. When you are not appreciated in what you do, you get angry. When things don’t go according to plan, you get angry. So every time you lose patience you get angry.

Question 3. What is the best way to control your anger?

Answer: Best way to control your anger is to seek professional help. Take anger management class. Talk to your family members or friends regarding what is making you angry. Because if it is not controlled you might end up being hurt and alone.

• Picture Dictionary
• English Speech
• English Slogans
• English Letter Writing
• English Essay Writing
• English Textbook Answers
• Types of Certificates
• ICSE Solutions
• Selina ICSE Solutions
• ML Aggarwal Solutions
• HSSLive Plus One
• HSSLive Plus Two
• Kerala SSLC
• Distance Education

To install StudyMoose App tap and then “Add to Home Screen”

Managing Anger: Understanding, Controlling, and Transforming Emotions

Anger is temporary madness: the Stoics knew how to curb it

Rockwell Kent’s illustration of Captain Ahab from the 1937 edition of Moby Dick. Photo by Rex Features

by Massimo Pigliucci   + BIO

People get angry for all sorts of reasons, from the trivial ones (someone cut me off on the highway) to the really serious ones (people keep dying in Syria and nobody is doing anything about it). But, mostly, anger arises for trivial reasons. That’s why the American Psychological Association has a section of its website devoted to anger management. Interestingly, it reads very much like one of the oldest treatises on the subject, On Anger , written by the Stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca back in the first century CE.

Seneca thought that anger is a temporary madness, and that even when justified, we should never act on the basis of it because, though ‘other vices affect our judgment, anger affects our sanity: others come in mild attacks and grow unnoticed, but men’s minds plunge abruptly into anger. … Its intensity is in no way regulated by its origin: for it rises to the greatest heights from the most trivial beginnings.’

The perfect modern milieu for anger management is the internet. If you have a Twitter or Facebook account, or write, read or comment on a blog, you know what I mean. Heck, Twitter anger has been brought up to new heights (or lows, depending on your point of view) by the current president of the United States, Donald Trump.

I too write quite a bit on online forums. It’s part of my job as an educator, as well as, I think, my duty as a member of the human polis. The conversations I have with people from all over the world tend to be cordial and mutually instructive, but occasionally it gets nasty. A prominent author who recently disagreed with me on a technical matter quickly labelled me as belonging to a ‘department of bullshit’. Ouch! How is it possible not to get offended by this sort of thing, especially when it’s coming not from an anonymous troll, but from a famous guy with more than 200,000 followers? By implementing the advice of another Stoic philosopher, the second-century slave-turned-teacher Epictetus, who admonished his students in this way: ‘Remember that it is we who torment, we who make difficulties for ourselves – that is, our opinions do. What, for instance, does it mean to be insulted? Stand by a rock and insult it, and what have you accomplished? If someone responds to insult like a rock, what has the abuser gained with his invective?’

Indeed. Of course, to develop the attitude of a rock toward insults takes time and practice, but I’m getting better at it. So what did I do in response to the above-mentioned rant? I behaved like a rock. I simply ignored it, focusing my energy instead on answering genuine questions from others, doing my best to engage them in constructive conversations. As a result, said prominent author, I’m told, is livid with rage, while I retained my serenity.

N ow, some people say that anger is the right response to certain circumstances, in reaction to injustice, for instance, and that – in moderation – it can be a motivating force for action. But Seneca would respond that to talk of moderate anger is to talk of flying pigs: there simply isn’t such a thing in the Universe. As for motivation, the Stoic take is that we are moved to action by positive emotions, such as a sense of indignation at having witnessed an injustice, or a desire to make the world a better place for everyone. Anger just isn’t necessary, and in fact it usually gets in the way.

The philosopher Martha Nussbaum gave a famous modern example of this in her Aeon essay on Nelson Mandela. As she tells the story, when Mandela was sent to prison – for 27 years – by the Apartheid government of South Africa, he was very, very angry. And for good reasons: not only was a grave injustice being perpetrated against him personally, but against his people more generally. Yet, at some point Mandela realised that nurturing his anger, and insisting in thinking of his political opponents as sub-human monsters, would lead nowhere. He needed to overcome that destructive emotion, to reach out to the other side, to build trust, if not friendship. He befriended his own guard, and eventually his gamble paid off: he was able to oversee one of those peaceful transitions to a better society that are unfortunately very rare in history.

Interestingly, one of the pivotal moments in his transformation came when a fellow prisoner smuggled in and circulated among the inmates a copy of a book by yet another Stoic philosopher: the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Marcus thought that if people are doing wrong, what you need to do instead is to ‘teach them then, and show them without being angry’. Which is exactly what Mandela did so effectively.

So, here is my modern Stoic guide to anger management, inspired by Seneca’s advice:

• Engage in preemptive meditation: think about what situations trigger your anger, and decide ahead of time how to deal with them.
• Check anger as soon as you feel its symptoms. Don’t wait, or it will get out of control.
• Associate with serene people, as much as possible; avoid irritable or angry ones. Moods are infective.
• Play a musical instrument, or purposefully engage in whatever activity relaxes your mind. A relaxed mind does not get angry.
• Seek environments with pleasing, not irritating, colours. Manipulating external circumstances actually has an effect on our moods.
• Don’t engage in discussions when you are tired, you will be more prone to irritation, which can then escalate into anger.
• Don’t start discussions when you are thirsty or hungry, for the same reason.
• Deploy self-deprecating humour, our main weapon against the unpredictability of the Universe, and the predictable nastiness of some of our fellow human beings.
• Practise cognitive distancing – what Seneca calls ‘delaying’ your response – by going for a walk, or retire to the bathroom, anything that will allow you a breather from a tense situation.
• Change your body to change your mind: deliberately slow down your steps, lower the tone of your voice, impose on your body the demeanour of a calm person.

Above all, be charitable toward others as a path to good living. Seneca’s advice on anger has stood the test of time, and we would all do well to heed it.

Childhood and adolescence

For a child, being carefree is intrinsic to a well-lived life

Luara Ferracioli

Meaning and the good life

Sooner or later we all face death. Will a sense of meaning help us?

Warren Ward

Philosophy of mind

Think of mental disorders as the mind’s ‘sticky tendencies’

Kristopher Nielsen

Philosophy cannot resolve the question ‘How should we live?’

David Ellis

Values and beliefs

Why do you believe what you do? Run some diagnostics on it

Miriam Schoenfield

Gender and identity

What we can learn about respect and identity from ‘plurals’

Elizabeth Schechter

Understanding anger: How psychologists help with anger problems

Psychologists can help people recognize and avoid the triggers that make them angry. They can also provide ways to help people manage the inevitable anger that sometimes flares without warning.

Everyone gets mad at times. The target of your ire might be a stranger, a loved one or even yourself. Or, you might find yourself furious over external events, such as a delayed flight or a political incident. While anger is a normal human emotion, misplaced or uncontrolled anger can quickly become problematic.

You can learn strategies to help control your anger . Sometimes, though, people need extra help to keep their rage at bay.

Psychologists can help people recognize and avoid the triggers that make them angry. They can also provide ways to help them manage the inevitable anger that sometimes flares without warning.

Uncontrolled anger

Uncontrolled anger looks different from person to person. Some people are quietly seething at the world most of the time. Some can’t help but dwell on events that made them mad. Others have quick tempers and may even exhibit aggressive or violent behavior.

Uncontrolled anger can be hard to define. Unlike depression (which can be thought of as a dysfunctional form of sadness) or anxiety (a dysfunctional form of worry), uncontrolled anger doesn’t have a name or an official diagnosis.

Nevertheless, anger can be dysfunctional, and people who experience it often don’t realize how big a problem it is. That’s because in the short term, anger can be effective. Blowing up at your kids might seem like a good strategy if it results in them doing their chores. Losing your temper at work might feel productive if it gets your coworkers to do things your way.

Unfortunately, people often fail to see the long-term consequences of uncontrolled anger. Those can include health effects such as high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease, as well as social disharmony among family members, friends, and coworkers.

You might need some help learning to control your anger if you recognize any of these signs:

• Your friends or family members have said they think you have an anger problem or have distanced themselves from you as a result of your behavior.
• You have discord with coworkers.
• There are business establishments where you’re no longer welcome.
• You feel angry a lot of the time.
• You’re nursing a grudge or thinking about getting revenge.
• You have been or think about being aggressive or violent when angry.

Seeing a psychologist about anger

Hundreds of research studies have explored the effectiveness of therapies for treating anger. Several large analyses of the published research suggest that overall, approximately 75% of people receiving anger management therapy improved as a result.

• The majority of research on anger treatment has focused on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) . In CBT, patients learn to identify unhelpful or negative thought patterns and change inaccurate beliefs. One CBT-based anger treatment is known as Stress Inoculation. This method involves exposing the person to imaginary incidents that would provoke anger, providing opportunities to self-monitor their anger and practice coping methods.

Though there has been less research on other methods for treating anger, several appear to show promise. Those include:

• Family therapy helps family members resolve conflict and improve communication. It may be helpful in addressing anger problems directed at a romantic partner and/or children.
• Psychodynamic therapy is an approach in which therapists help people use self-reflection to focus on the psychological roots of their emotional distress.

Anger often goes hand-in-hand with other problems, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or alcohol problems. Psychologists can help treat those conditions while also providing strategies for managing the anger that goes along with them.

Psychotherapy for anger: What to expect

If you see a psychologist for help with anger problems, you can plan on examining the triggers that set you off. You’ll explore how your experiences of anger were helpful or harmful, both in the short-term and in the long-term.

You’ll probably examine the thoughts that precede your anger and explore whether they’re accurate assessments of reality. Psychologists may also help you learn to resolve conflicts in a more constructive way and rebuild relationships that have been damaged by your anger.

Unfortunately, not all anger management classes are based on the latest scientific evidence. If you’re seeking help for your anger, look for a trained mental health professional with experience treating anger. They may offer treatments one-on-one or in group settings.

Psychologists are highly trained experts who tailor a treatment plan to address the unique needs of each patient. To find a licensed psychologist in your area, use our Psychologist Locator.

APA gratefully acknowledges psychologists Raymond W. Novaco, PhD, and Raymond DiGiuseppe, PhD, for their help with this fact sheet.

Recommended Reading

Related Reading

• Control anger before it controls you
• Strategies for controlling your anger: Keeping anger in check

You may also like

• DOI: 10.1037/e621812007-001
• Corpus ID: 1280017

Anger Management

• M. Lumley , Lindsay Oberleitner
• Published in Encyclopedia of Behavioral… 2020
• Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine

52 Citations

Anger—has it a positive as well as negative value (recent research into causes, associated features, diagnosis and treatment, 1998–2003), anger as a moral emotion: a “bird’s eye“ systematic review, how to deal with anger: a psychology and islamic perspective, cognitive therapy for clinically dysfunctional anger: a case study, anger management in pendhalungan adolescents, the effectiveness of anger management’s training on difficulty of adolescent's emotion regulation, illocutionary act in anger management movie, the effects of anger management program of the psychotic patient : focus on video and tea gathering, does emotional regulation training work during angry service encounters, project anger management: the cyprus police and security forces casestudy-a comprehensive overview, 8 references, anger inhibition and pain: conceptualizations, evidence and new directions, effects of written anger expression in chronic pain patients: making meaning from pain, emotion regulation: affective, cognitive, and social consequences., effects of forgiveness therapy on anger, mood, and vulnerability to substance use among inpatient substance-dependent clients., effectiveness of anger treatments for specific anger problems: a meta-analytic review., an evidenced-based review of psychological treatments of anger and aggression, a meta-analytic review of research on hostility and physical health., related papers.

Showing 1 through 3 of 0 Related Papers

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Sweepstakes
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

How to Manage Anger and Stress

Jamie Grill / Getty Images

• Effects of Anger and Stress

Take the Anger Test

• Management Skills

Asking for Help

Learning to manage stress and anger is a key life skill because these big feelings can affect us in negative ways—from our mental well-being to our physical health . Anger and stress management skills can help us handle our emotions in ways that support us and protect our relationships with others.

Let’s talk about how anger and stress are linked and the steps you can take to manage the stress and anger in your life more effectively.

At a Glance

Anger and stress can feed into each other—being stressed out can make you angry, and being angry about something can stress you out. There are strategies you can use to learn how to cope more effectively with both of these feelings.

What Anger and Stress Do to You

It’s probably no surprise that strong feelings like anger can negatively affect your mental health, but studies have shown that they also affect your physical well-being. Research has found that even a brief bout of anger can raise your blood pressure, and being exposed to stress for a long time also increases your risk of high blood pressure.

Having high blood pressure can lead to health problems down the road, like raising your chances of having a heart attack. Studies have also suggested that when we “push down” anger, it can affect our bodies. For example, we might actually feel more physical pain.

Researchers have also seen how chronic stress can cause physical changes in our bodies, like high cortisol or adrenaline levels, which can lead to health problems over time.

Anger and stress that are not being addressed and managed don’t just wear down our bodies—they also wear us out mentally. Over time, feeling these intense feelings and not dealing with them effectively can make us more likely to experience depression and anxiety and can also have a negative effect on our relationships.

We can also develop negative habits as a response to excessive levels of anger and stress that become more difficult to control over time. Either of these effects can result in more anxiety.

Think about how anger and stress play out in your life. Does it feel like a vicious circle? It can be hard to unravel the loop of anger and stress because these feelings often feed into each other. You get angry, and it stresses you out, and then feeling stressed out makes you angry.

That said, the goal is not to avoid anger and stress completely. It’s impossible to never have these feelings, and we all go through them. The key is to learn how to manage them in ways that support your mental and physical well-being and protect your relationships. 

This short, free 21-item test measures a variety of symptoms and feelings associated with  anger , such as anger about the present and future, anger towards the self, and hostile feelings toward others.

This anger quiz was medically reviewed by Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS.

What Triggers Stress and Anger?

There are a lot of things in life that can make you feel angry and stressed, often at the same time. There are also certain things about you as an individual that can make you more or less likely to get stressed and/or angry.

How You See the World

Some events can easily trigger anger or stress in anyone, but how much of an influence they have on you depends on your perspective—how you see and interpret the world.

For example, two people can be cut off in traffic. One person might interpret the gesture as a lack of respect, a threat to their physical safety, or a hostile gesture. This situation makes them angry. Another person may figure that the offending driver didn't see them or might be wrapped up in their own thoughts and let the event roll off their back.

The different reactions each person had depended on their view, or interpretation, of the triggering event (stimulus).

Your Personality

Some people have personality traits they were born with or developed very early in life that make them more likely to feel anger and stress. Some of these tendencies are seen early in life, but these tendencies can be mitigated.

• Some people are naturally more observant than others. This trait can make them more likely to notice things that might make them angry—things that may go unnoticed by someone else.
• Some people are naturally less comfortable with change, which can also cause stress and anger in certain situations.
• Other people have a low tolerance for frustration and get angrier more easily than others.  

Your Thoughts and Attitudes 

Our habitual thought patterns also contribute to our experience of anger or stress. Some people tend to interpret things negatively as a matter of habit. They may attribute someone else’s error to malicious or unkind motives, for example. They may take one negative event as a sign that more negative events are to come, which can cause more stress. They may even become bitter and resentful if they feel like the world is "out to get them."

Your Overall Health

If you live with a chronic illness, especially chronic pain, you probably don’t need to hear that research has shown it can be a lot harder to deal with life’s stresses when you’re trying to manage symptoms 24/7.

Living with a chronic illness or being in chronic pain can make even typical stressors and triggers feel a lot harder to manage. That’s why it’s even more important that you make stress and anger management part of your treatment plan, no matter what illness you’re dealing with.

While it can be easy to forget about the wellness of your mind when you’re so focused on what’s going on in the rest of your body, don’t let your mental health take a back seat.

There are even some expected variations in your health that can be triggers for anger and stress—hormonal shifts are a common example. If you’ve ever felt like your fuse is super short right before your period, you know this. Intense anger that’s related to changes in your menstrual cycle can even be a sign of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Anger and Stress Management Skills 

Anger and stress are natural experiences that we all go through. It’s how we deal with these feelings and what triggers them that determines the effect they have on us.

We can’t always prevent stressful events from happening. Learning to manage stress with steps like breathing exercises,  journaling , or other  stress management techniques helps us neutralize the effects.

We also can’t always avoid getting angry—in fact, pushing down anger and trying to ignore it is not helpful and can even be harmful. Instead, we can learn to  work through our anger  in helpful ways.

We can learn how to respectfully express how we feel and prevent it from snowballing into bigger feelings we can’t control. Learning how to use assertive rather than aggressive communication can help us make sure that the conversations we have with others are productive and supportive.

You don’t have to try to manage stress and anger alone. Working with a  mental health professional  can help you learn to identify what triggers these feelings and figure out how to manage them.

Learning new coping skills , finding supportive ways to express yourself, and discovering strategies that help you handle your emotions can improve your physical and mental well-being, as well as your relationships with others.

McGill University. Is it true that getting angry can affect the heart? .

AHA. How high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack .

Toledo TA, Hellman N, Lannon EW, et al. Anger inhibition and pain modulation .  Ann Behav Med . 2019;53(12):1055-1068. doi:10.1093/abm/kaz016

O’Connor DB, Thayer JF, Vedhara K. Stress and health: A review of psychobiological processes . Annual Review of Psychology . 2021;72(1):663-688. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-062520-122331

APA. How stress affects your health .

Everson‐Rose SA, Roetker NS, Lutsey PL, et al. Chronic stress, depressive symptoms, anger, hostility, and risk of stroke and transient ischemic attack in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis .  Stroke . 2014;45(8):2318-2323. doi:10.1161/strokeaha.114.004815

Spruill TM, Butler MJ, Thomas SJ, et al. Association between high perceived stress over time and incident hypertension in Black adults: findings from the Jackson Heart Study .  Journal of the American Heart Association . 2019;8(21). doi:https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.119.012139

Sutin AR, Luchetti M, Stephan Y, Sesker AA, Terracciano A. Purpose in life, stress mindset, and perceived stress: Test of a mediational model .  Pers Individ Dif . 2023;210:112227. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2023.112227

Mill A, Kööts-Ausmees L, Allik J, Realo A. The role of co-occurring emotions and personality traits in anger expression .  Front Psychol . 2018;9:123. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00123

Deater-Deckard K, Beekman C, Wang Z, et al. Approach/positive anticipation, frustration/anger, and overt aggression in childhood .  J Pers . 2010;78(3):991–1010. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2010.00640.x

Stanford University. Embracing stress is more important than reducing stress, Stanford psychologist says .

MedlinePlus. Living with chronic illness - dealing with feelings .

Office on Women's Health. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder .

American Psychological Association.  Understanding anger . 

American Psychological Association.  Controlling anger before it controls you .

By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Manage Your Anger at Work

• Liz Fosslien
• Mollie West Duffy

Spoiler: Venting isn’t the best option.

We’re all a little angrier these days. The sustained level of stress and fear you experience every day when you’re under pressure depletes your emotional resources, making you much more likely to get mad, even at minor provocations. While we’re often told that anger is harmful, irrational, and should be suppressed, there are ways to channel it productively. Research shows that getting mad can spark creativity, motivate you to advocate for yourself, and help you perform better in competitive circumstances. The authors offer six strategies to use anger in more positive ways, including acknowledging that a violation took place, identifying the specific needs behind your emotion, and avoiding excessive venting.

After two years of navigating a global pandemic, tensions are high. While conducting research for our book Big Feelings , we heard from readers who told us that they’d recently lost their cool over all kinds of seemingly small triggers: inconsistent WiFi, an email from their boss that just read “?,” or a coworker pinging them at 4:45 pm asking for a “quick favor.”

• Liz Fosslien is the coauthor and illustrator of the WSJ bestseller No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotion at Work  and Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay . She is on the leadership team of Atlassian’s Team Anywhere, where she helps distributed teams advance how they collaborate. Liz regularly leads workshops for leaders; her clients include Google, Paramount, and the U.S. Air Force. Liz’s writing and work have been featured by TED, The Economist, Good Morning America, the New York Times, and NPR. lizandmollie
• Mollie West Duffy is the coauthor of the WSJ bestseller No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotion at Work and Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay . She is the head of learning and development at Lattice, and was an organizational design lead at global innovation firm IDEO. She has worked with companies of all sizes on organizational development, leadership development, and workplace culture. lizandmollie

Partner Center

Appointments at Mayo Clinic

• Adult health

Anger management: 10 tips to tame your temper

Keeping your temper in check can be challenging. Use simple anger management tips — from taking a timeout to using "I" statements — to stay in control.

Do you fume when someone cuts you off in traffic? Does your blood pressure rocket when your child refuses to cooperate? Anger is a common and even healthy emotion. But it's important to deal with it in a positive way. Uncontrolled anger can take a toll on both your health and your relationships.

Ready to get your anger under control? Start by considering these 10 anger management tips.

1. Think before you speak

In the heat of the moment, it's easy to say something you'll later regret. Take a few moments to collect your thoughts before saying anything. Also allow others involved in the situation to do the same.

2. Once you're calm, express your concerns

As soon as you're thinking clearly, express your frustration in an assertive but nonconfrontational way. State your concerns and needs clearly and directly, without hurting others or trying to control them.

3. Get some exercise

Physical activity can help reduce stress that can cause you to become angry. If you feel your anger escalating, go for a brisk walk or run. Or spend some time doing other enjoyable physical activities.

4. Take a timeout

Timeouts aren't just for kids. Give yourself short breaks during times of the day that tend to be stressful. A few moments of quiet time might help you feel better prepared to handle what's ahead without getting irritated or angry.

5. Identify possible solutions

Instead of focusing on what made you mad, work on resolving the issue at hand. Does your child's messy room make you upset? Close the door. Is your partner late for dinner every night? Schedule meals later in the evening. Or agree to eat on your own a few times a week. Also, understand that some things are simply out of your control. Try to be realistic about what you can and cannot change. Remind yourself that anger won't fix anything and might only make it worse.

6. Stick with 'I' statements

Criticizing or placing blame might only increase tension. Instead, use "I" statements to describe the problem. Be respectful and specific. For example, say, "I'm upset that you left the table without offering to help with the dishes" instead of "You never do any housework."

7. Don't hold a grudge

Forgiveness is a powerful tool. If you allow anger and other negative feelings to crowd out positive feelings, you might find yourself swallowed up by your own bitterness or sense of injustice. Forgiving someone who angered you might help you both learn from the situation and strengthen your relationship.

8. Use humor to release tension

Lightening up can help diffuse tension. Use humor to help you face what's making you angry and, possibly, any unrealistic expectations you have for how things should go. Avoid sarcasm, though — it can hurt feelings and make things worse.

9. Practice relaxation skills

When your temper flares, put relaxation skills to work. Practice deep-breathing exercises, imagine a relaxing scene, or repeat a calming word or phrase, such as "Take it easy." You might also listen to music, write in a journal or do a few yoga poses — whatever it takes to encourage relaxation.

10. Know when to seek help

Learning to control anger can be a challenge at times. Seek help for anger issues if your anger seems out of control, causes you to do things you regret or hurts those around you.

There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

Error Email field is required

Error Include a valid email address

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Thank you for subscribing!

You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox.

Sorry something went wrong with your subscription

Please, try again in a couple of minutes

• Kassinove H, et al. Happiness. In: The Practitioner's Guide to Anger Management: Customizable Interventions, Treatments, and Tools for Clients With Problem Anger. Kindle edition. New Harbinger Publications; 2019. Accessed March 11, 2022.
• Understanding anger: How psychologists help with anger problems. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/anger/understanding. Accessed March 11, 2022.
• Controlling anger before it controls you. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control. Accessed March 11, 2022.
• Tips for survivors: Coping with anger after a disaster or other traumatic event. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/tips-survivors-coping-anger-after-disaster-or-other-traumatic-event/pep19-01-01-002. Accessed March 11, 2022.
• Caring for your mental health. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health. Accessed March 11, 2022.
• A very happy brain
• Are you thinking about suicide? How to stay safe and find treatment
• COVID-19 and your mental health
• Friendships
• Mental health
• Passive-aggressive behavior
• Boosting self-esteem

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

• Opportunities

Mayo Clinic Press

Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press .

• Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic Press Mayo Clinic on Incontinence
• The Essential Diabetes Book - Mayo Clinic Press The Essential Diabetes Book
• Mayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance - Mayo Clinic Press Mayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance
• FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic Press FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment
• Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic Press Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book
• Healthy Lifestyle
• Anger management 10 tips to tame your temper

5X Challenge

Thanks to generous benefactors, your gift today can have 5X the impact to advance AI innovation at Mayo Clinic.

Rage, Aggression

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

Anger is one of the basic human emotions, as elemental as happiness , sadness, anxiety , or disgust. These emotions are tied to basic survival and were honed over the course of human history.

Anger is related to the “fight, flight, or freeze” response of the sympathetic nervous system ; it prepares humans to fight. But fighting doesn't necessarily mean throwing punches. It might motivate communities to combat injustice by changing laws or enforcing new norms.

Of course, anger too easily or frequently mobilized can undermine relationships or damage physical health in the long term. Prolonged release of the stress hormones that accompany anger can destroy neurons in areas of the brain associated with judgment and short-term memory , and weaken the immune system.

For those who struggle with chronic anger, or for those who only experience occasional outbursts, learning skills to identify and navigate this powerful emotion can lead to growth and change.

• The Experience of Anger
• How to Manage Anger
• Mental Health Conditions And Anger

Everyone knows the feeling. It's that rage that rises when a driver is cut off on the highway or an employee is demeaned by his boss. People have trouble managing anger and other negative emotions. However, unleashing anger doesn’t produce the sense of catharsis people crave—it tends to feed on itself instead. The best path forward may be to understand anger—its roots, its triggers, its consequences—and cultivate the ability to manage it.

The question of why some shrug off annoyances while others explode in rage is a fascinating one. One model of anger, put forth by psychologist Jerry Deffenbacher, posits that anger results from a combination of the trigger event, the qualities of the individual, and the individual's appraisal of the situation.

The trigger is the event that provokes anger, such as being cut off in traffic or yelled at by a parent. The qualities of the individual include personality traits, such as narcissism , competitiveness, and low tolerance for frustration, and the pre-anger state, like levels of anxiety or exhaustion. Perhaps most importantly is cognitive appraisal—appraising a situation as blameworthy, unjustified, punishable, etc. The combination of these components determines if, and why, people get mad .

Research suggests that the tendency to become angry is associated with high neuroticism and low agreeableness. Outside of the Big Five personality traits, a few habits and attitudes may be linked to anger. These include:

• Entitlement (believing that one’s rights and privileges are superior to those of other people)

• Focusing on things out of personal control (such as a partner’s behavior) 

• External regulation of emotions (trying to regulate emotions by controlling one’s environment)

• External locus of control (believing well-being is controlled by sources outside of oneself)

• Refusal to see other perspectives (viewing different perspectives as threats)

• Low tolerance for discomfort

• Low tolerance for ambiguity 

• Hyperfocus on blame

• A fragile ego

Anger is a core emotion , but it may manifest differently based on its source. Justifiable anger is moral outrage at the injustices of the world, such as the oppression of human rights or an abusive relationship. Justifiable anger may have benefits in the short term because its intensity can be channeled into action for change.

Annoyance anger can arise from the many frustrations of daily life. Aggressive anger is used in situations where one individual attempts to exercise dominance, intimidation, manipulation, or control over another. Temper tantrums are disproportional outbursts of anger when an individual’s wants and needs are not fulfilled, no matter how unreasonable and inappropriate.

The relationship between gender , anger, and violence is more complex than people realize, and common beliefs—such as that men are angrier than women—are often false after a close examination of the research.

What’s not as complicated, though, is the relationship between masculinity, anger, and aggression. Studies show that masculinity is associated with anger. When men’s masculinity is threatened, they react with increased anger. Challenging men’s testosterone levels yields a similar effect. And seemingly dormant masculinity often emerges when men get drunk.

In contrast to anger arising from interpersonal conflict—a transgression, or betrayal—moral outrage focuses less on outing someone else’s problematic behavior than inflating one's own sense of self. This type of outrage, called virtue signaling or moral grandstanding, may underscore one's virtuous attributes by pointing out non-virtuous attributes in others. Essentially, putting others down unconsciously raises oneself up.

From an evolutionary perspective, humans aimed to obtain and maintain strong social standing within small-scale communities. Expressing outrage about the behavior of others may partly function to elevate the status of the person expressing the outrage, which may explain why outrage often feels so good.

Revenge involves embitterment, the sense of having been let down or victimized, coupled with a desire to fight back. Feeling helpless to do so then leads to fantasies of revenge or aggression.

Vengeful thoughts may arise in an attempt to protect the self from damaged confidence and self-efficacy , calm feelings of frustration, humiliation , and insult by settling the score between the victim’s suffering and the perpetrator’s actions, and offer a mechanism to regain power and stability.

Thoughts of revenge are especially likely in individuals who have been victimized and traumatized by others. They are more likely in individuals diagnosed with PTSD .

The common advice to “ forgive and forget” can be well-intentioned but difficult to internalize. Many people hold deep grudges, even if they don’t want to. This may occur because grudges come with an identity . With a grudge intact, people know they were wronged. There exists a kind of rightness and strength in this identity.

Still, grudges don’t tend to make people feel better or heal their sadness or anger. Shifting focus away from the offender and to the event's consequences allows people to integrate the experience into their narrative and release their grudge.

Anger creates a surge of energy. When that happens, chemicals such as adrenaline enter the bloodstream. Heart rate and blood flow increase, and the muscles tense. This can compromise the immune system and cardiovascular system, which can even shorten the lifespan when sustained.

Excessive and uncontrollable anger can cause rifts in important relationships, challenges in the workplace, and legal and financial problems. Anger can hijack the ability to think clearly, leading to poor judgment and decision-making . It’s often at the root of substance use disorder, domestic violence , abuse and other conditions.

Anger, like all emotions, should be monitored with self-awareness. This can prevent it from spiraling into hostile, aggressive, or violent behavior toward others or oneself.

Support groups for anger management can help people understand anger, identify its triggers, and develop skills to manage their emotions. In groups or individual settings, cognitive restructuring can coach patients to reframe unhealthy, inflammatory thoughts.

Outside of therapy , techniques from deep breathing and emotion labelling to adopting a problem-solving mindset can help people learn to navigate anger on their own.

If you are often carried away by anger, it can be helpful to understand the patterns that trigger you. It's possible to intervene at different points along the way to deal with anger effectively.

1. Sleep: Sleep deprivation makes it harder to control angry impulses, so regular, healthy sleep can prevent you from being provoked.

2. Consider alternative interpretations: And ask yourself what evidence you have to support your angering interpretation. Consider different perspectives.

3. Take deep breaths: Take long, slow, deep breaths, using the diaphragm rather than the chest.

4. Avoid the “catharsis myth”: Venting anger, acting with aggression, and viewing aggressive content does not tend to release anger effectively.

5. Know that it’s ok to get mad: If you have been wronged, treated unfairly, or provoked, you should get angry, but express it assertively instead of aggressively.

In cases of warranted anger, such as a coworker who never contributes to collaborative projects, you may want to use a different set of anger management tips. In those situations:

1. Distance yourself from the angering situation. This will help you stop ruminating and develop a clear path forward.

2. Dedicate time to thinking about how to solve the root problem so it doesn’t occur again.

3. Express your anger assertively, with a solutions-oriented approach, rather than aggressively.

Anger is often a result of misunderstanding other people's actions and assigning our own meaning to them. For example, someone who struggles with anger might say, "He cut me off on purpose! He was out to get me!” or “She was in my face, waving her finger and yelling at me. She deserved to be hit!" These thoughts fuel a cycle of rage; if the “perpetrator” intentionally and maliciously attacked, the “victim” has no choice but to retaliate.

However, considering other perspectives and regulating emotions can manage anger. Instead of assuming the worst, you could consider, “They may not have seen me, or maybe they had a bad day. It has nothing to do with me personally."

Different expressions of anger will elicit different responses, but a few tips can help deal with angry people who are verbally aggressive, insulting, or even threatening:

1. Ask yourself if the anger is justified. There may be something you can do to help resolve the situation.

2. Stay calm. Avoid yelling, swearing, or raising your voice, which may exacerbate the situation. Speak slowly and directly, and keep your voice calm and soft.

3. Avoid character assaults. The middle of an angry exchange isn’t the time to discuss larger problems.

4. Know when to disengage. If the possibility of a positive resolution is unlikely, you may want to end the conversation or walk away.

5. Stay safe. An angry person is not necessarily a violent person. Still, if you feel that you are in danger, exit the situation immediately.

Anger management, which may be taught in individual or group sessions, involves learning to understand one’s anger and developing skills to cope with it. This process involves identifying what triggers anger, strategies for prevention and mitigation, and skills to communicate and solve problems.

Anger management should not attempt to deny a person’s anger. Anger is a protective emotion. But it often functions to protect a fragile ego, which may involve guilt , shame , and anxiety. A technique to reduce anger is to render it unnecessary by enhancing self-worth by reinforcing personal values.

Patients who have severe anger and commit abuse or violence can be challenging to reach in therapy. Overcoming anger often requires acknowledging a patient’s most vulnerable feelings, which is antithetical to the emotionally detached, action-oriented persona they may have adopted to protect themselves. In order to feel in control and avoid their pain, they may throw their weight around, intimidating the therapist and making sure he or she is kept at a distance.

The therapist can aim to be persistent, patient, and avoid being provoked. With enough time, the patient can become comfortable enough to share vulnerabilities that may have fueled patterns of anger and abuse.

Everyone experiences anger at some point. It becomes problematic, however, when the frequency or severity of anger interferes with relationships, work performance, legal standing, or mental health.

While there is no official “anger disorder,” dysfunctional anger and aggression can be a symptom of Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder . It may also play a role in manic episodes , ADHD , and narcissism.

Anger doesn't require a formal diagnosis to be disruptive, or to benefit from help with its management.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) is an impulse control disorder characterized by repeated angry outbursts, representing a failure to control aggressive impulses. These outbursts can involve verbal or physical aggression and result in property damage or physical injury. These reactions are also severely out of proportion to the event that sparked the episode.

Of the various disorders related to anger, perhaps IED most accurately describes the escalating explosions of violence we are witnessing today such as mass shootings . It may emerge from a failure to recognize and consciously address anger as it arises, before it becomes pathological and dangerous, perhaps starting in childhood .

For more, see Intermittent Explosive Disorder.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behavior disorder that involves a pattern of angry and irritable moods and defiant or vindictive behaviors. People with oppositional defiant disorder may lose their temper, lash out impulsively, become resentful, argue with authority figures, refuse to comply with requests, and deliberately annoy and blame others.

Two parts of the brain implicated in this reactive aggression include an overactive amygdala and an underactive prefrontal cortex—the region that helps regulate impulses and inhibit aggression. Medication and therapy—particularly a newer approach called Collaborative and Proactive Solutions—can reduce defiance and anger and teach healthy coping skills.

For more, see Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

Conduct Disorder

Conduct Disorder (CD) is a disruptive behavior disorder involving a pattern of violating norms, rules, and the basic rights of others. Individuals with conduct disorder may bully , threaten, or physically hurt others. They may be cruel to animals, lie, steal, or destroy property.

While Oppositional Defiant Disorder involves reactive, explosive aggression, Conduct Disorder tends to yield proactive, calculated antisocial acts. Some people with the disorder will go on to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder.

For more, see Conduct Disorder.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a condition characterized by instability and impulsivity, including bursts of anger or violence. Terrified of abandonment, people with BPD cling to those close to them, crave reassurance and validation, and are deeply upset by seemingly small changes. This turbulence can involve angry outbursts, severe mood swings, hopelessness, paranoia , self-harm , and suicidality .

The overblown rage so common in borderline may stem from problems of trust, such as learning not to trust parents or caregivers due to unreliability, neglect, and criticism. Anger may function as a defense against fears of possible abandonment and rejection.

For more, see Borderline Personality Disorder.

Depression is characterized by consistently low mood and feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness. Enjoyment and pleasure are diminished while irregularities in sleep and appetite emerge, among other challenges.

Both research and clinical observation have identified a connection between depression and anger. Anger is often a reaction to and distraction from inner suffering—feelings such as sadness, powerlessness, shame, anxiety, inadequacy, and isolation. Anger can be both an outgrowth of, and meaningful distraction, from the intense pain of underlying depression. Similarly, many people who seek help for depression come to recognize how anger directed inward, such as intense self-criticism, blame, and dissatisfaction, contributes to their depression.

For more, see Depression .

Spending time in nature can help us improve our mental health and resilience. Try these three simple approaches for using nature to combat the stress and anxiety of everyday life.

A fascinating and sobering experiment on how rats cope with stress has far-ranging implications. Can we humans, who tend to react in similar ways, do better?

Taking the high road can be a lonely, painful experience. We can find peace and rise above our instinct for revenge by releasing attachments.

Anger hides deeper needs and disrupts family harmony, affecting kids' behavior. Using empathetic communication helps us collaborate and get along better.

Anger can be a powerful motivator when used constructively, and it can propel you into positive action.

Are you stuck in negative communication patterns with your partner? Try this simple (but not easy) exercise to eliminate the toxic talk from your relationship.

Psychological aggression is so common in couple relationships across diverse countries and cultures that partners commonly consider it an acceptable way of dealing with conflict.

Difficulty accepting others often originates in parent-child relationships when parents inevitably let down their children, fail to be present, or inadequately meet their needs.

Many struggle with anger, fearing its impact. Yet, anger signals unmet needs and can fuel change.

The murder of Rebecca Cheptegei exposes the chilling reality of intimate partner violence, its devastating effects, and the urgent need for action.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Self Tests NEW
• Therapy Center
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

It’s increasingly common for someone to be diagnosed with a condition such as ADHD or autism as an adult. A diagnosis often brings relief, but it can also come with as many questions as answers.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

Essay Curve

Essay on Anger Management – 10 Lines, 100 to 1500 Words

Essay on Anger Management: Anger is a natural emotion that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. However, when anger is not managed effectively, it can lead to destructive behavior and harm relationships. In this essay, we will explore the importance of anger management and techniques for controlling and expressing anger in a healthy way. By understanding the root causes of anger and learning how to respond to it in a constructive manner, individuals can improve their emotional well-being and maintain positive relationships with others.

Table of Contents

Anger Management Essay Writing Tips

1. Start by defining anger and anger management: Begin your essay by defining what anger is and why it is important to manage it effectively. Explain the consequences of uncontrolled anger and the benefits of learning how to manage it.

2. Discuss the causes of anger: Explore the various factors that can trigger anger in individuals, such as stress, frustration, fear, and past experiences. Provide examples to illustrate these causes and explain how they can lead to anger outbursts.

3. Highlight the importance of anger management: Emphasize the significance of learning how to control anger in order to maintain healthy relationships, improve mental health, and enhance overall well-being. Discuss the negative effects of uncontrolled anger on oneself and others.

4. Provide strategies for anger management: Offer practical tips and techniques for managing anger effectively, such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, physical exercise, and cognitive restructuring. Explain how these strategies can help individuals regulate their emotions and respond to anger triggers in a more constructive manner.

5. Encourage self-awareness and reflection: Stress the importance of self-awareness in recognizing one’s triggers and patterns of anger. Encourage readers to reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors when experiencing anger in order to gain insight into their emotional reactions.

6. Suggest seeking professional help: Recommend seeking support from a therapist, counselor, or anger management specialist if individuals struggle to control their anger on their own. Explain the benefits of therapy in addressing underlying issues and developing healthy coping mechanisms.

7. Discuss the role of communication in anger management: Highlight the importance of effective communication in resolving conflicts and expressing emotions in a constructive way. Encourage individuals to practice assertive communication skills and to express their feelings and needs openly and respectfully.

8. Provide real-life examples: Share personal anecdotes or case studies to illustrate the impact of anger management on individuals’ lives and relationships. Show how learning to control anger can lead to positive outcomes and improved quality of life.

9. Conclude with a call to action: Encourage readers to take proactive steps towards managing their anger by implementing the strategies discussed in the essay. Emphasize the importance of self-care, self-awareness, and seeking help when needed in order to cultivate healthy emotional regulation skills.

Essay on Anger Management in 10 Lines – Examples

1. Anger management is a set of techniques and strategies used to control and reduce feelings of anger. 2. It involves recognizing the signs of anger and learning how to respond in a healthy and constructive way. 3. Anger management can help individuals improve their relationships, communication skills, and overall well-being. 4. Techniques for anger management may include deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and physical activity. 5. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a common approach used in anger management to help individuals change their thought patterns and behaviors. 6. Learning to express emotions in a calm and assertive manner is an important aspect of anger management. 7. Avoiding triggers and stressful situations can also help prevent feelings of anger from escalating. 8. Developing healthy coping mechanisms, such as journaling or talking to a therapist, can be beneficial in managing anger. 9. It is important for individuals to take responsibility for their emotions and actions in order to effectively manage anger. 10. Overall, anger management is a valuable skill that can lead to improved mental and emotional health.

Sample Essay on Anger Management in 100-180 Words

Anger management is a crucial skill that everyone should possess in order to maintain healthy relationships and emotional well-being. When we experience anger, it is important to recognize and address it in a constructive manner rather than letting it escalate into harmful behaviors.

One effective strategy for managing anger is to practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques to calm down before reacting impulsively. It is also helpful to communicate assertively and express our feelings in a respectful way, rather than bottling up emotions or lashing out in anger.

Furthermore, developing empathy and understanding towards others can help us to see situations from different perspectives and prevent unnecessary conflicts. By learning to control our emotions and respond thoughtfully, we can prevent anger from controlling us and damaging our relationships.

In conclusion, anger management is a valuable skill that can lead to healthier interactions and a more peaceful mindset. It is important to practice self-awareness and self-control in order to effectively manage anger and maintain positive relationships.

Short Essay on Anger Management in 200-500 Words

Anger is a natural human emotion that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. It can be triggered by various factors such as stress, frustration, or feeling threatened. While it is normal to feel angry, it is important to learn how to manage and control this emotion in a healthy way.

One of the key aspects of anger management is recognizing the triggers that cause anger. By identifying what makes us angry, we can better understand our emotions and work towards addressing the root cause of our anger. This self-awareness can help us develop strategies to prevent or minimize anger in the future.

Another important aspect of anger management is learning how to express our anger in a constructive manner. Instead of lashing out or bottling up our emotions, it is important to communicate our feelings in a calm and assertive way. This can help us express our needs and boundaries without causing harm to ourselves or others.

Furthermore, practicing relaxation techniques can be helpful in managing anger. Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or physical exercise can help us calm our minds and bodies when we are feeling angry. These techniques can help us reduce stress and anxiety, which are common triggers for anger.

It is also important to practice empathy and understanding towards others when managing anger. By putting ourselves in the shoes of others and trying to see things from their perspective, we can develop a greater sense of compassion and patience. This can help us respond to situations with more empathy and understanding, rather than reacting with anger.

In addition, seeking support from friends, family, or a therapist can be beneficial in managing anger. Talking to someone about our feelings can help us gain perspective and receive guidance on how to cope with our emotions. A therapist can also provide tools and techniques to help us manage our anger in a healthy way.

Overall, anger management is a crucial skill that can help us navigate through challenging situations and relationships. By recognizing our triggers, expressing our emotions constructively, practicing relaxation techniques, showing empathy towards others, and seeking support when needed, we can learn to manage our anger in a healthy and productive way. Anger is a natural emotion, but it is how we respond to it that ultimately determines its impact on our lives. By developing healthy coping mechanisms and strategies, we can learn to navigate through anger in a positive and constructive manner.

Essay on Anger Management in 1000-1500 Words

Anger is a natural and healthy emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. It can be a powerful motivator and can help us protect ourselves in dangerous situations. However, when anger is not managed properly, it can have negative consequences on our relationships, health, and overall well-being. This is why it is important to learn how to manage our anger effectively.

Anger management is the process of recognizing and controlling our anger in a healthy way. It involves understanding the triggers of our anger, learning how to calm ourselves down, and finding constructive ways to express our feelings. By practicing anger management techniques, we can prevent our anger from escalating into destructive behavior and improve our relationships with others.

One of the first steps in anger management is to recognize the signs of anger. These can include physical symptoms such as a racing heart, clenched fists, and a flushed face, as well as emotional symptoms like irritability, frustration, and a desire to lash out. By becoming aware of these signs, we can take steps to calm ourselves down before our anger gets out of control.

One effective way to calm ourselves down when we are feeling angry is to practice deep breathing exercises. By taking slow, deep breaths, we can activate our body’s relaxation response and reduce the intensity of our anger. Another helpful technique is to count to ten before responding to a triggering situation. This can give us the time we need to think rationally and choose a more constructive way to express our feelings.

It is also important to identify the triggers of our anger and learn how to avoid or manage them. Common triggers of anger include stress, frustration, feeling misunderstood, and being treated unfairly. By recognizing these triggers, we can take steps to address them proactively and prevent our anger from escalating.

In addition to managing our anger in the moment, it is important to practice self-care and stress management techniques to prevent anger from building up over time. This can include getting regular exercise, practicing mindfulness and meditation, and seeking support from friends, family, or a therapist. By taking care of ourselves and managing our stress levels, we can reduce the likelihood of experiencing intense anger reactions.

Another important aspect of anger management is learning how to communicate our feelings effectively. When we are feeling angry, it can be tempting to lash out or say hurtful things to others. However, this can damage our relationships and escalate conflicts. Instead, we can practice assertive communication techniques, such as using “I” statements to express our feelings and needs without blaming others. By communicating in a calm and respectful manner, we can resolve conflicts more effectively and prevent our anger from causing further damage.

It is also important to practice forgiveness and let go of grudges in order to manage our anger effectively. Holding onto anger and resentment can be toxic to our mental and emotional well-being. By practicing forgiveness, we can release the negative emotions that are fueling our anger and move forward in a more positive and healthy way.

In conclusion, anger is a natural emotion that everyone experiences, but it is important to learn how to manage it effectively in order to prevent negative consequences. By recognizing the signs of anger, practicing relaxation techniques, identifying triggers, practicing self-care, communicating effectively, and practicing forgiveness, we can learn to control our anger in a healthy way. Anger management is a skill that can be learned and practiced over time, and by doing so, we can improve our relationships, health, and overall well-being.

Related Essays

Essay on A Visit To A Fair – 10 Lines, 100 to 1500 Words

Value of Games And Sports – Essay in 10 Lines, 100 to 1500 Words

Essay on Importance of Teacher – 100, 200, 500, 1000 Words

Essay on A Visit To A Museum – 100, 200, 500, 1000 Words

Essay on Effect of Social Media On Youth

Essay on Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji – Short & Long Essay Examples

Essay on Nuclear Family – Short Essay & Long Essay upto 1500 Words

Essay on Anudeep Durishetty – 10 Lines, 100 to 1500 Words

Essay on Non Violence – Samples, 10 Lines to 1500 Words

Covid 19 Responsive School – Essay in 10 Lines, 100 to 1500 Words

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Essay on Anger

Students are often asked to write an essay on Anger in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Anger

Understanding anger.

Anger is a strong feeling of annoyance or displeasure. It’s a natural, human emotion that everyone experiences. It can be caused by both external and internal events.

Effects of Anger

Anger can lead to negative outcomes like arguments, fights, or even health problems. It can also make it hard for people to think clearly or make good decisions.

Managing Anger

It’s important to learn how to manage anger. This can involve taking deep breaths, counting to ten, or walking away from a situation. It’s okay to feel anger, but it’s important to express it in a healthy way.

Also check:

250 Words Essay on Anger

Anger, a primitive emotional response, is often a reaction to perceived threats or injustices. It’s an emotion that can range from mild irritation to intense fury and wrath. While often viewed negatively, anger can serve crucial functions, such as alerting us to harmful situations or motivating us to take action.

The Manifestations of Anger

Anger manifests in various ways, both physically and psychologically. Physically, it can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline levels. Psychologically, it can trigger feelings of frustration, annoyance, and resentment. It’s important to note that anger is often a secondary emotion, arising in response to primary emotions like fear, hurt, or shame.

The Duality of Anger

Anger, despite its negative connotations, can be both destructive and constructive. Uncontrolled anger can lead to mental and physical health problems, damage relationships, and lead to aggressive or violent behavior. On the other hand, controlled anger can act as a catalyst for positive change, stimulating problem-solving and conflict resolution.

Effective anger management is critical for mental and emotional well-being. Techniques such as mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and assertive communication can help individuals express anger in a healthy and productive manner. Recognizing the triggers and signs of anger, and learning to respond rather than react, can transform anger from a destructive force into a constructive tool.

In conclusion, understanding, expressing, and managing anger is a vital aspect of emotional intelligence. It is not about eliminating anger, but about harnessing its energy for positive change and personal growth.

500 Words Essay on Anger

Introduction.

Anger is an integral part of the human emotional spectrum, often characterized by feelings of discontent, hostility, or violent tendencies. It is a natural response to perceived threats or harm, serving as a protective mechanism that triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. However, when unchecked, anger can lead to detrimental effects on an individual’s physical health, mental wellness, and social relationships.

The Psychology of Anger

Physiological impact of anger.

The physiological response to anger is often immediate and intense. The body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, accelerating heart rate, blood pressure, and energy levels. Over time, chronic anger can lead to significant health issues, including heart disease, stroke, and weakened immune system. It also exacerbates mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

Societal Implications of Anger

On a societal level, anger can lead to aggressive behavior, violence, and conflicts, affecting interpersonal relationships and social harmony. It can also lead to self-destructive behaviors, such as substance abuse or reckless actions. However, anger is not entirely negative; when channeled constructively, it can drive social change, fuel motivation, and promote assertiveness.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

31 Effective Journal Prompts for Anger + PDF

Have you ever thought of using journal prompts for anger?

Journaling is a healthy and constructive way to release pent-up emotions, especially when you’re feeling mad, overwhelmed, or frustrated. Using journal prompts can help you begin writing when it’s difficult to find your words.

Anger, rage, hurt, and resentment are all natural emotions, but these feelings can consume your energy and cloud your judgment over time. Whether it’s the result of a tough week, a fight with someone, or deeper problems, it’s essential to process anger.

These journal prompts to release anger will help you explore your emotions, vent your frustrations, process what happened, and hopefully, find peace. A free PDF printable anger journal prompts list is available at the end.

*This article contains affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you for products you purchase via this website. For more information  click here.

*This article is for entertainment purposes only and contains no medical advice or information. No financial advice is included. See  privacy policy & disclosures  for more details.

Please note that journaling about anger and difficult emotions may be triggering. Please take care of yourself and get professional support as needed.

Let’s get started.

Related:  How to Protect Your Energy for Empaths and Sensitive People

31 Journal Prompts to Release Anger

1. What is currently making you feel angry? Describe the situation in detail.

2. How does your body physically react when you’re angry? What sensations do you notice?

3. Write about a time when you handled your anger in a healthy way.

4. What are the deeper emotions hiding behind your anger? Is it frustration, fear, sadness, grief, hurt, or something else?

5. Describe a moment when you allowed your anger to control your actions. How did you feel afterward?

6. What triggers your anger most often? Reflect on why these triggers affect you so deeply.

7. How would you like to respond to things that anger you in the future? Visualize the ideal way to handle it.

8. Write about someone who has hurt you. How does that hurt still affect you today?

9. What do you believe about anger? How can it be a positive force or negative force in your life?

10. Write a letter to someone you are angry with, but don’t send it. Get all your feelings out then throw it away.

11. What recurring thoughts tend to fuel your anger? How can you reframe these thoughts?

12. How does holding onto anger affect your mental and physical health?

13. How can you prevent yourself from being in a position to become angry, to begin with? For example, do you change your routine, avoid someone, speak up, or find other ways to protect your energy ?

14. How do you typically express anger? Do you keep it bottled up then explode, or let it out right away?

15. Write about a time when your anger led to a positive outcome.

16. What is one thing you can do to calm down when you’re feeling angry?

17. Write about the one person who often makes you feel angry. You know who I’m talking about. How can you not be so bothered by them?

18. Write about a time when you forgave someone or a situation. How did it feel to let go of that anger?

19. What fears or insecurities might be fueling your anger in certain situations?

20. How do you feel after you express your anger? Do you feel relief or regret?

21. How can you balance the need to express your anger with the desire to remain calm and centered?

22. Write a list of things that help you feel calm and centered when anger arises.

23. Reflect on how your upbringing has influenced the way you deal with anger.

24. How can you practice more self-compassion when you’re angry?

25. How does anger affect your sense of self-worth or confidence?

26. What boundaries can you set to protect your peace and prevent anger from building up?

27. How do you feel when someone else expresses anger towards you? How do you typically react?

28. What are some constructive ways you can channel your anger into something positive?

29. How can you reduce any stress in your life causing anger or frustration?

30. How do you want to feel instead of angry? Write about ways you can cultivate that feeling in your life.

31. How can you invite more peace and happiness into your life on a daily basis?

PDF Printable Journal Prompts for Anger

You can download and print the journal prompts using the link below:

Journal Prompts for Anger PDF

Final Thoughts

These anger journal prompts are designed to help you dig deeper into your feelings, understand what triggers your anger, and discover healthier ways to manage it.

It’s okay and also normal to feel angry at times, but holding onto that anger for too long can weigh you down. By regularly writing about your emotions, you’ll be taking a step towards letting go of what no longer serves you and welcoming peace into your life.

I hope these journal prompts for anger can help release whatever is bothering you. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments!

You may also enjoy:

50 Journal Prompts to Find Your Purpose When You’re Feeling Lost in Your Career

7 Signs of Soul Ties Between People {What Kind Do You Share?}

50 Positive Affirmations for Mental Strength with Free Printable

100 Self-Care Journal Prompts Plus Free PDF Printable Journal Prompts

How to Break Generational Curses {What You Need to Know}

25 Journal Prompts for Success and a Positive Growth Mindset

Kristen is the founder of Dream Dash Journal and has worked as a lifestyle blogger since 2018. She enjoys inspiring others to explore their spirituality and creative interests.

Similar Posts

50 Inspiring Self Confidence Quotes to Celebrate Being You

Reading self-confidence quotes is a great way to remind yourself of just how worthy of love and celebration you are. Especially when you’re feeling like a hot mess, it’s good to remember that you don’t have to be perfect to feel good about yourself. That’s why today I’ve compiled some of my favorite inspiring quotes…

How to Script Manifest the Day, Week, or Month Ahead {+PDF}

If you are familiar with the Law of Attraction, you probably know that like attracts like. It’s a Universal Law. If your thoughts and energy are vibrating at a certain frequency, you will manifest into your reality that which matches your specific frequency. Feeling lonely and wishing for love? That energy manifests more loneliness. But…

Hag Stones Meaning, History, Magic, Folklore & Uses

Hag stones, which are unique stones with naturally occurring holes, are a captivating addition to any rock and crystal collection. These rare finds have a rich history steeped in fascinating magical folklore, making them a source of intrigue for those exploring the realms of symbolism and mysticism. If you’ve only recently discovered hag stones, you’re…

50 Short Quotes About Magic {Life, Love, & Humor!}

Reading quotes about magic is a fun and entertaining way to feel inspired about life. Our world is full of mystery, and magic is one of the most interesting and exciting concepts to ponder. The concept of magic holds a special place in our collective consciousness. Magic ignites our sense of wonder and reminds us…

How to Journal for Beginners + Free PDF Journal Prompts

If you’ve been thinking of starting a writing journal, but are unsure of how to journal, then welcome to journaling 101! In this article, learn how to start journaling for beginners. Get some simple tips on breaking through any writer’s block or hesitancy and just start journal writing. Plus, get 25 fun and easy journal…

12 BEST Black Crystals & Stones for Energy Healing

Black crystals are powerful, natural tools commonly used for protection, grounding, and energy healing.  Well known for absorbing negative energy, black crystals help to rid your body and aura of unwanted emotional energy, negative vibrations, curses, bad luck, and more. Black crystals are often used in meditation, holistic healing centers, and spas. They are known…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Workbooks for Anger Management Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Cognitive behavioral therapy, self-help books and workbooks for anger management, workbook’s analysis.

It goes without saying that anger may be regarded as a normal reaction in response to pain, frustration, tiredness, ignorance, annoyance, critique, and being overwhelmed with daily struggles. However, when anger becomes enduring, intense, and frequent while reasons are not significant, it requires particular attention and a qualified response. Anger refers not only to emotional outbursts but to aggressiveness and intimidation as well. Excessive and uncontrolled anger leads to multiple negative consequences, including relationship problems, problems with employment and the law, health disorders, and more severe mental health issues. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) remains one of the most efficient methods of anger management. At the same time, self-help books and workbooks become efficient assessment and treatment tools, especially for people whose healthcare accessibility is limited. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine CBT treatment in relation to anger, investigate the efficiency of its practices, and review a workbook dedicated to anger management in order to evaluate its potential to substitute traditional therapy.

In general, CBT is defined as solution-oriented psychotherapy that helps a patient identify his problem expressed in negative feelings or thoughts and assess its scope in order to challenge and replace these manifestations with more positive and rational ones. It is traditionally applied as an efficient solution for people with depression, stress, addiction, anxiety, and anger issues as it focuses on the development of practical skills that allow individuals to feel better. All in all, CBT is based on the following principles:

• Unhealthy and inappropriate ways of thinking are the main reason for psychological issues;
• Unacceptable behavior that causes a psychological problem derives from learned patterns;
• It is possible to minimize the manifestations of a psychological issue through coping strategies for more rational thinking.

CBT has two major aspects which include functional analysis and skills training. In other words, a patient learns to look at feelings and thoughts that lead to a particular inappropriate behavior and gains new coping skills. Meanwhile, a therapist plays an important role in CBT by controlling sessions, providing guidance, and giving direct advice. In addition, as treatment presupposes the assignment of homework, a specialist will review it and provide quality feedback for better understanding and consistent practice.

In relation to anger, CBT-related assessments and treatment fully fit the intervention model for this condition. Thus, CBT presupposes a wide range of exercises and questions that help a patient define triggers that lead to outbursts and their root causes. On their basis, a therapist provides various techniques and strategies for efficient anger management and emotion control, such as relaxation, deep breathing, and rational problem-solving. In general, for people who suffer from intense and enduring anger, CBT treatment implies the following steps:

• The determination of a problem’s root causes. First of all, a patient should identify major situations and conditions that cause anger in order to make a smarter decision concerning a solution.
• Strengthening of awareness and understanding. Self-awareness is highly essential for anger management as it helps realize the importance of this psychological issue.
• The determination of negative thoughts. In collaboration with a patient, a therapist defines negative and inaccurate thoughts that lead to inappropriate behavioral patterns.
• The change of negative thoughts. This step presupposes the development of positive thinking and the reframing of memories through various techniques to establish positive behavior. In addition, CBT treatment refers to the replacement of unhealthy and aggressive communication with assertive and peaceful one. Although anger remains a natural emotion, it is necessary to use adaptive ways of communication to avoid crossing acceptable boundaries.

It goes without saying that there are multiple techniques that may be used by a therapist, including personalized ones, and it is impossible to apply all of them. However, several methods used in CBT may be regarded as the most common and effective. The first one implies the enhancement of personal awareness as the expression of anger does not presuppose the understanding of its clear sense. In this case, a specialist should perceive and explain to a patient the nature, causes, and consequences of his anger. Role-playing, detailed discussions, and self-monitoring are usually used to raise patient awareness.

Another strategy of CBT is the development of relaxation coping skills. As anger is traditionally associated with increased physical and emotional excitement, relaxation skills help an individual remain calm and reduce the negative consequences of outbursts. The acquisition of these skills is connected with the understanding of anger triggers for its lowering through slow deep breathing, focusing on the reduction of muscle tension, the repetition of calming words, and meditation. All techniques should be initially practiced during sessions to relax quickly in real-life situations.

Successful anger management presupposes the disruption of it by removal or avoidance and the replacement of anger-producing thoughts with reasonable thinking as well. In combination with relaxation coping skills, these techniques allow an individual to leave an anger-related situation. Negotiation with other people, alternative ways of response, and distracting non-angry activities contribute to the minimization of anger manifestations. At the same time, in particular situations, humor may assist in the elimination of negative thinking that leads to anger. Moreover, the understanding that other people can make mistakes and that some situations are inevitable helps disrupt stress caused by events or other people’s actions. Finally, CBT helps an individual to enhance his skills for efficient negotiation and interpersonal communication to avoid stress, conflicts, and, as a result, the expression of anger. Thus, skill training will contribute to efficient interaction in a direct, problem-solving, and calm manner.

In the present day, regardless of expressed skepticism and insufficient research in relation to their scientific status, self-help books and workbooks for the management of various psychological disorders are extremely popular. A considerable number of people use bibliotherapy as a self-administered and self-prescribed treatment and “a very cost-effective substitute for professionally delivered therapy” (Redding et al., 2008, p. 537). At the same time, workbooks are frequently provided by therapists as patients’ homework for more appropriate outcomes of CBT.

In general, it is possible to mention the efficiency of bibliotherapy for the management of anger and other mental health disorders. Multiple meta-analyses support the notion that the effect of self-help books is similar to the outcomes of traditional therapy (Redding et al., 2008). Bibliotherapy is more effective than placebo, antidepressants, and waiting lists (Redding et al., 2008). All in all, the general advantages of the use of workbooks for patients with psychological problems include bibliotherapy’s accessibility for large numbers of individuals, cost-efficiency, autonomy, and preventive and educative functions.

A workbook under analysis is The Anger Control Workbook written by McKay and Rogers which focuses on a particular subject – anger management. In general, this book may be regarded as an appropriate substitution for a traditional CBT treatment, especially for people who do not have an opportunity to visit a therapist. It contains all aspects of traditional therapy, such as the identification of a psychological issue, its root causes, negative thoughts and triggers that lead to emotional outbursts and aggression, and multiple applicable techniques for anger control.

The book is characterized by a compassionate approach, comprehensive narration, and scientific evidence for its content’s support. In other words, it addresses readers in a personal manner that resembles a competent therapist’s words. For instance, the authors state that when a patient suffers from intense anger forgetting all his resolutions to stay calm, he does not become a bad person (McKay & Rogers, 2000). Instead, he is full of pain, and anger is a way to overcome it. However, anger is a temporary solution that, in turn, leads to highly negative consequences for a person’s physical and mental health and relationships with others.

At the same time, the book is full of real-life examples that make its material more comprehensive. For instance, there are multiple examples that allow readers to understand the nature of anger, its causes, and its impacts. However, all aspects of bibliotherapy presented in the book are supported by evidence received as the result of multiple studies and research (McKay & Rogers, 2000). All in all, all factors of anger and coping techniques are consistent with psychological theory and research.

In general, The Anger Control Workbook is a helpful and accessible tool for anger self-management. It provides harmful, accurate, and specific guidance for readers to self-diagnose, apply coping techniques, and measure their progress in the long-term perspective. In addition, it contributes to a reader’s understanding of his anger-related issue to the fullest extent – thus, it describes not only the negative but positive consequences of stress as well to help an individual realize why it is expressed (McKay & Rogers, 2000). It goes without saying that coping techniques are thoroughly described, and templates for individual completion are presented. Moreover, in contrast with multiple workbooks, The Anger Control Workbook explains when and why self-help may be limited.

At the same time, there are several disadvantages connected both with an actual book and bibliotherapy in general. First of all, there is a slight inconsistency in the workbook – for instance, anger inoculation and coping techniques are intermixed. In turn, it would be reasonable to place the assessment of anger in one part of the book and anger management in another. In addition, the book addressed a common classical therapy that does not presuppose paying attention to patients’ cultural peculiarities. In this case, bibliotherapy cannot substitute for a culturally competent therapist. Moreover, not all people perceive knowledge efficiently without quality feedback which is not presupposed in workbooks. In this case, this format is insensitive to patients’ individual needs.

To conclude, CBT may be regarded as a highly efficient intervention for anger management. It helps a patient access his psychological issue and address it in the most appropriate way. In turn, self-help books and workbooks may substitute traditional therapy as they contain its aspects. However, on the basis of a workbook’s review, it is possible to state that bibliography leads to the most appropriate outcomes in combination with CBT as not all people may learn without a therapist, especially a culturally competent one, who will guide the progress and provide feedback.

McKay, M., & Rogers, P. D. (2000). The anger control workbook . New Harbinger Publications.

Redding, R. E., Herbert, J. D., Forman, E. M., & Gaudiano, B. A. (2008). Popular self-help books for anxiety, depression, and trauma: How scientifically grounded and useful are they? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39 (5), 537-545.

• Some Basic Propositions of a Growth and Self-Actualization Psychology
• Preventing Risky Sexual Behavior Among Youth
• Entrepreneur’s Marketing Source Inc (EMS)
• Exploring Representations of Difference and Disability. Building Blocks or Barriers?
• Fit and Well: Core Concepts and Labs in Physical Fitness and Wellness
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Schools
• Exposure Therapy for Adult Population
• “On Killing” by Dave Grossman Review
• The Suicidal Patients Assessment and Treatment
• Superstitions: The Behavioral Approach
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, September 26). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Workbooks for Anger Management. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-and-workbooks-for-anger-management/

"Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Workbooks for Anger Management." IvyPanda , 26 Sept. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-and-workbooks-for-anger-management/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Workbooks for Anger Management'. 26 September.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Workbooks for Anger Management." September 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-and-workbooks-for-anger-management/.

1. IvyPanda . "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Workbooks for Anger Management." September 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-and-workbooks-for-anger-management/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Workbooks for Anger Management." September 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-and-workbooks-for-anger-management/.

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

• Basic site functions
• Ensuring secure, safe transactions
• Secure account login
• Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
• Remembering privacy and security settings
• Analyzing site traffic and usage
• Personalized search, content, and recommendations
• Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

• Remembering general and regional preferences
• Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

The PMC website is updating on October 15, 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Springer Nature - PMC COVID-19 Collection

A systematic review of neural, cognitive, and clinical studies of anger and aggression

Yuliya richard.

1 Blue Horizon Counseling Services, Sydney, Australia

2 Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain

3 Universite Med 5th, Rabat, Morocco

Dorota Frydecka

4 Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteur Street 10, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland

Mohamed S. Hamid

5 College of Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Ahmed A. Moustafa

6 Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2193 South Africa

7 School of Psychology, Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD Australia

Associated Data

No data is collected in this systematic review.

Anger and aggression have large impact on people’s safety and the society at large. In order to provide an intervention to minimise aggressive behaviours, it is important to understand the neural and cognitive aspects of anger and aggression. In this systematic review, we investigate the cognitive and neural aspects of anger-related processes, including anger-related behaviours and anger reduction. Using this information, we then review prior existing methods on the treatment of anger-related disorders as well as anger management, including mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy. At the cognitive level, our review that anger is associated with excessive attention to anger-related stimuli and impulsivity. At the neural level, anger is associated with abnormal functioning of the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. In conclusion s, based on cognitive and neural studies, we here argue that mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy may be better at reducing anger and aggression than other behavioural treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy or mindfulness alone. We provide key information on future research work and best ways to manage anger and reduce aggression. Importantly, future research should investigate how anger related behaviours is acquired and how stress impacts the development of anger.

Introduction

There are at least two views of emotions. First, emotions are perceived as discrete concepts (Ekman, 2016 ), comprised of six categories: anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. The discrete view of emotions has dominated psychology research for several decades, although there are arguments against it (Cowen et al., 2019 ). Cowen et al. ( 2019 ) argue that emotions are more complex than the basic six emotional categories. They argue that humans can experience a mix of these emotions, and also feelings that do not fall into these six categories. Further, another view is the social constructionist view, which considers emotions as products of brain processes in interaction with different social realities (Barrett, 2006 ). The latter view is more suited to better explain the complexities of emotional processes (including anger), and aligns well the high dimensional view of emotions by Cowen et al. ( 2019 ).

According to Blair ( 2012 ), anger occurs in different scenarios, including exposure to extreme heat, not receiving an expected reward, being treated unfairly, or actions by others that impact one’s goals or plans. Along these lines, anger feelings can occur when one’s goal is blocked (Berkowitz, 1993 ). For example, using simulated driving experiments, drivers may show anger feelings when they are forced to slow down (Stephens & Groeger, 2009 ). Another study found that sleep deprivation was related to the development of anger (Saghir et al., 2018 ). One study reported that anger and aggression can occur due to social rejection, frustration, provocation, and social stress (Lickley & Sebastian, 2018 ). Furthermore, state anger was shown to be associated with feelings of revenge (DiGiuseppe & Froh, 2002 ). Several studies have also shown that anger occurs due to social isolation and restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic (Abadi et al., 2021 ; Aki et al., 2020 ; Smith et al., 2021 ).

Anger is important to investigate as it is an approach-, rather than avoidance- related response (Carver & Harmon-Jones, 2009 ). Anger is in contrast to other negative emotional feelings, such as depression or sadness, as the latter do not often lead to approach behaviours (Zhan et al., 2018 ). This has been experimentally corroborated using reaction time tasks of moving forward or backward in response to neutral or anger-related words (Mayan & Meiran, 2011 ). In this study, presenting participants with anger-related stimuli has led to moving forward more than when presenting them with neutral stimuli. This can possibly explain why anger can sometimes lead to aggressive behaviours.

Although important, anger-related disorders only appear in DSM, as symptoms of clinical disorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder and intermittent explosive disorder (APA, 2013 ). Many patient populations show problems with anger management (Lievaart et al., 2016 ), including borderline personality disorder (Critchfield et al., 2004 ). Several studies have found that anger is related to alcohol and drug abuse. One study found cannabis use disorder is associated with inability to control anger among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans (Dillon et al., 2021 ). Other studies also found that state and trait anger are risk factors for substance use and abuse (Baharvand & Malekshahi, 2019 ). Alcohol use disorders were found to be related to both state and trait anger (Sharma et al., 2017 ). The impact of alcohol on anger could be related to the activation of GABA receptors, and thus inhibiting the prefrontal cortex (Abernathy et al., 2010 ; Tu et al., 2007 ). As we discuss below, the prefrontal cortex plays a key role in anger control and a damage to this area may then increase anger-related behaviours.

The current paper also deals with few challenges in the literature, including the following: (a) what is the relationship between anger and aggression, (b) which cognitive processes are associated with anger and aggression, (c) what are the neural substrates of anger and aggressive behaviour, and (d) what are best interventions or counselling techniques for minimizing anger and aggression. Importantly, unlike prior work, here, we aim to link successful intervention to cognitive and neural substrates of anger and aggression.

Anger can often lead to aggression, which has negative impacts on the individual and society. While anger is an emotional feeling, aggression/violence is a behaviour that can occur mostly due to anger-related feelings. It is important to note that there are many differences between state and trait anger (for discussion, see Spielberger, 1988 ). According to Spielberger ( 1988 ), unlike trait anger, state anger is a transient subjective emotional feeling of intense fury and rage. We suggest that state anger is most likely initiated more by very extreme external factors, while individuals with high trait anger may show anger-related behaviours (e.g., violence, aggression, among others) in response to minor hostility, such as provocation or insult (Deffenbacher, 1992 ; Smith et al., 2004 ). While it is perceived as maladaptive, it has been argued that anger has a very important evolutionary value for personality building and growth (Williams, 2017 ). While it is often assumed that anger feelings will lead to aggressive behaviours (Cheriji et al., 2012 ), this is not always the case. This assumption is based on findings that anger feelings are very strong, making aggression a likely outcome. However, some anger management techniques were found to reduce anger but not aggression (Chambers et al., 2009 ), suggesting that anger and aggression are not always interrelated. Further, it is not clear if anger leads to either reactive (i.e., impulsive) or proactive (i.e., planned) aggression (Lickley & Sebastian, 2018 ). Unlike proactive aggression, impulsive aggression has been reported in many patient populations, such as schizophrenia and PTSD (Arseneault et al., 2000 ; Comai et al., 2012a , b ; Hoptman, 2015 ).

Anger is important to treat, as anger control deficits have negative consequences. A lack of anger control was found to negatively impact mental health (Prabhu et al., 2014 ) and lead to poor and maladaptive decisions (Meissner et al., 2021 ). For example, Masood et al. ( 2019 ) suggested that anger could be a factor underlying suicide ideation. Further, anger and suicide are were found to be common and related in younger than older adults (Khan & Hyder, 2006 ). Many individuals arrested for domestic violence incidents often undergo anger management training (Lee & DiGiuseppe, 2018 ), as anger is the likely culprit of violence-related behaviours. Further, anger can impact relationships and lead to domestic violence (Baron et al., 2007 ). See Fig.  1 for a description of negative consequences of anger.

A description of cognitive processes underlying anger as well as consequents of anger

Importantly, the goal of this article is to investigate the cognitive and neural substrates of anger and aggression, and then use this information to investigate best treatment for anger and aggression. It is hoped that effective treatments for anger should be able to ameliorate anger-related cognitive and neural dysfunction.

In this systematic review, we have searched the following databases: Google Scholar, ProQuest, Pubmed, and PsychInfo. We have used a combination of two keywords in our searches. The first key word was anger, anger management, anger control, anger prevention, aggression, and anger-related processes. The second keyword was neural, brain, cognition, clinical, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychiatric (as well as variations of these words, such as bipolar). In addition, the search was limited to studies that used human participants and were published in English. Further, we have examined each paper carefully to make sure the goal of the study is examining anger and its relation to cognition, the brain, and clinical disorders. Studies that did not specifically measure anger were excluded. After removing duplicates and unrelated articles, here, we discuss 46 articles. Importantly, in discussion, we explain the relationship among all of these processes, such as the relationship between cognitive underpinnings of anger and its treatment. Please, see our search strategy in Fig.  2 .

Search strategy used in our systematic review

This study is designed in order to link successful interventions and counselling techniques for anger-related behaviours and aggression to existing cognitive and neural dysfunction. Accordingly, key words used in the systematic review were selected to first explain cognitive and neural abnormalities related to anger and aggression. Following that, key words related to intervention or counselling for anger and aggression are selected. After finding all related papers, we have divided our search findings into three related themes: cognitive correlates of anger, neural substrates of anger, and the treatment of anger. Below, we discuss each in detail, respectively.

Cognitive Correlates of Anger: Focus on Attention and Impulsivity

Several studies have investigated cognitive processes underlying state and trait anger as well as aggression (Simmons et al., 2022 ; Wilkowski & Robinson, 2008 , 2010 ). To our knowledge, at least, three studies found that anger is related to frontal-based cognitive processes, such as attention, cognitive control (Rueda et al., 2004 ; Zelazo & Cunningham, 2007 ) and emotional dysregulation (Koole & Tschacher, 2016 ; Szasz et al., 2011 ).

Studies have shown that anger is related to paying excessive attention to anger-related stimuli. For example, individuals high in trait anger pay more attention to anger- and hostile-related stimuli than individuals low in trait anger (Alia-Klein et al., 2018 ; Gable, et al., 2015a , 2015b ). Some studies also have found that compared to individuals low in high trait anger, individuals high in trait anger tend to pay more attention to anger- and hostile-related stimuli in the environment (Wilkowski & Robinson, 2008 ). Using an emotional Stroop task that include anger-related stimuli, it was found that individuals who are high on trait anger show difficulty disengaging from anger-related stimuli (Eckhardt & Cohen, 1997 ; Putman et al., 2004 ; Smith & Waterman, 2005 ; van Honk et al., 2001 ). Using the visual search task, it was also found that individuals who are high on trait anger pay a lot more attention to anger-related than neutral stimuli (P. Smith & Waterman, 2003 ). Along these lines, it has been reported that trait anger impacts the functioning of brain regions responsible for attentional processes (Alia-Klein et al., 2018 ).

In addition to attention, several studies found that impulsivity is a key factor underlying the occurrence of anger-related processes. For example, Masood et al. ( 2019 ) investigated differences in impulsivity and anger in two groups of Pakistani students: suicide ideators and non-ideators. They found anger and impulsivity were higher than in suicide ideators than in suicide non-ideators (for similar results also see Daniel et al., 2009 ). Similar results on the association between impulsivity, anger, and suicide were reported in different Eastern and Western countries (Ammerman et al., 2015 ; McGirr et al., 2008 ; Wang et al., 2014 ). The anger-based Go/NoGo task was also used to measure impulsivity in relation to anger. In this task, participants were required to either respond (Go trials) or not to respond (NoGo trials) for different both neutral and anger-related stimuli. It was also found that trait anger is related to impulsivity in anger-based Go/NoGo task (Lievaart et al., 2018 ). See Fig.  1 for a description of cognitive processes underlying anger-related processes. In sum, most prior studies found that anger and aggression are related to paying attention to anger-related stimuli in the environment as well as impulsive behaviours.

Neural Substrates of Anger

There are several brain areas that play a role in anger-related processes, including the amygdala and several frontal cortical areas. While there are other brain regions implicated in anger such as the hypothalamus (Gouveia et al., 2019 ) and the periaqueductal grey region (Blair, 2016 ; Gouveia et al., 2019 ), in this section, we will focus on brain regions related to understanding higher-level processes of anger and its treatment: the amygdala and prefrontal cortex.

Several studies show that the amygdala plays a role in anger processing (Alia-Klein et al., 2009 , 2020 ; Blair, 2012 ; Carlson et al., 2010 ). For example, it has been shown that amygdala activation increases in response to the presentation of angry stimuli (Derntl et al., 2009 ). In patients with social phobia, the amygdala showed higher activation in response to fear stimuli (Stein et al., 2002 ). Amygdala lesion was found to impair ability to perceive fear and anger (Scott et al., 1997 ). It is argued that an increase in testosterone levels impacts amygdala activity, leading to anger induction (Batrinos, 2012 ). Importantly, the amygdala includes several subregions that belong to different functional systems (Moustafa et al., 2013 ; Swanson & Petrovich, 1998 ). One area of the amygdala is the medial and central nucleus of the amygdala, which plays a role in expression of emotions. Another area is the basolateral nuclei of the amygdala, which was found to play a role in emotional learning and threat detection (Silva et al., 2016 ). One study found that the medial amygdala plays a role in rivalry aggression while the central amygdala plays a role in predatory aggression (Haller, 2018 ). Another study reported that the central amygdala plays a role in maternal aggression (Bosch & Neumann, 2010 ). Interestingly, unlike the central nucleus, one study has reported that the basolateral amygdala plays a role in reactive aggression (Buades-Rotger et al., 2019 ). In sum, these studies show that the amygdala plays a key role in processing and encoding anger and aggression.

In addition to the amygdala, several frontal cortical areas play a role in anger-related processes. For example, it has been reported that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) plays a key role in controlling anger (Alia-Klein et al., 2009 ; Klimecki et al., 2018 ) as well aggressive behaviours (Gilam et al., 2018 ; Yang et al., 2017 ). In one study, it was found that higher ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity is associated with experiencing less anger in the Ultimatum game (Gilam et al., 2015 ), suggesting that this brain area inhibit anger-related behaviours. In another study, it was found that the left anterior middle frontal gyrus (which is connected to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex) plays a role in anger control and reduction (Eshel et al., 2021 ). These findings are in agreement with studies showing frontal lesion or injury can lead to increased anger and aggression (Cristofori et al., 2016 ; Grafman et al., 1996 ; Seguin, 2009 ). In sum, prior studies show that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex plays a key role in anger control and reduction.

In addition to the ventromedial cortex and dorsal prefrontal cortex, other cortical regions, including the anterior cingulate and insula were found to play a role in anger and aggression, including reactive aggression (Denson et al., 2009 ; Kramer et al., 2007 ). An increase of activation in the anterior cingulate cortex and insula were reported in anger-inducing situations (Damasio et al., 2000 ).

It is important to note that these brain regions do not work in isolation, as the amygdala and other cortical areas discussed above are heavily interconnected. For example, it is known for several decades that frontal cortical areas, including ventromedial prefrontal cortex, insula, anterior cingulate, and dorsal prefrontal regions are connected via bidirectional pathways (Morawetz et al., 2016 ). Further, while the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex play a role in anger encoding and inhibition, they both projects to dorsal prefrontal regions responsible for the initiation of anger-related behaviours. This is supported by studies showing that the frontal cortex seems be the locus of anger-related behaviours, that is, anger expression (Blair, 2012 ). One study found that reactive aggression and anger is associated with a decreased connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (Siep et al., 2019 ). Furthermore, most frontal cortical regions send projections to different subregions in the amygdala, including via the intercalated cells to the central nucleus as well as to the basolateral amygdala (Alexandra Kredlow et al., 2021 ; Ganella et al., 2017 ; Gold et al., 2016 ; Pare & Smith, 1993 ). However, it is not known how the interconnections among these cortical and subcortical structures mediate anger-related behaviours. Figure  3 shows a simplified neural network underlying anger encoding, expression, and reduction.

Neural underpinnings of anger, showing dual pathways of anger induction and control. While the amygdala plays a role in anger induction, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and associated areas play a role in anger control. Green lines represent induction while red lines represent inhibition of anger responses. See text for discussion

Treatment of Anger and Aggression

There are different kinds of treatments for the treatment of anger and aggression. Cognitively oriented psychotherapies have been shown to be successful in reducing an individual’s tendency toward anger and reactive aggression (Beck & Fernandez, 1998 ; Deffenbacher et al., 2000 ). Anger management was found to decrease aggression (Valizadeh et al., 2010 ) as well as increase self-esteem (Bradbury & Clarke, 2007 ).

However, the most commonly used treatment for anger are cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness (see for example, Onwubiko, 2022 ). For a recent review on the use of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness for the treatment of anger and aggression, see Didden et al. ( 2019 ). However, the Didden et al. ( 2019 ) review study did not compare which treatment, cognitive behavioural therapy or mindfulness, is more effective at treating anger and aggression.

Several studies have used cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of anger and aggression (Haustein et al., 2021 ; Lee & DiGiuseppe, 2018 ; Sukhodolsky et al., 2016 ). It has been found that cognitive behavioural therapy can effectively manage and reduce anger-related feelings and behaviours (Henwood et al., 2015 ). Cognitive behavioural therapies tend to modify erroneous beliefs (Meyerhoff & Rohan, 2016 ; Pittig et al., 2019 ). In terms of anger, some of the wrong beliefs include “I am a better driver than other drivers” (which can lead to anger feelings when a driver makes a minor mistake) or “I am a better partner than my wife” (which leads to anger feelings when a partner does minor mistakes). Further, several studies have reported that cognitive behavioural therapy is effective for the treatment aggression in patients with intellectual disabilities (Allan et al., 2001 ; Didden et al., 2016 ; Howells et al., 2000 ; Lindsay et al., 2003 ; Taylor & Novaco, 2013 ). Didden et al. ( 2016 ) argued cognitive behavioural therapy has some limitations (e.g., ineffective in some individuals as well as relapse) which need to be augmented with other treatment to address mental health problems in individuals who present with aggression problems.

In addition to cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based therapy is commonly used to treat anger and aggression. Mindfulness was found to be negatively related to anger and aggressive behaviour among drivers (Borders et al., 2010 ; Stephens et al., 2018 ). Mindfulness training is successful at reducing anger (Amutio et al., 2014 ; Fix & Fix, 2013 ; Heppner et al., 2008 ; Wright et al., 2009 ). Mindfulness helps to increase awareness to the current situation in order to assess it and act in a more appropriate way. Mindfulness training techniques were also found to decrease amygdala activity (Murakami et al., 2015 ), explaining perhaps how mindfulness is effective at treating anger. Mindfulness training includes training clients to disengage their attention from anger-related triggers (Didden et al., 2019 ). Several other studies have shown that mindfulness training successfully reduced aggression in individuals with intellectual disabilities (Singh et al., 2013 ), although it is not clear if these findings are generalizable to other populations.

Importantly, several studies have tested whether mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy is effective at treating anger and aggression (see for example, Kelly, 2007 ; Sohn et al., 2018 ). One study found that mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy is more effective at reducing anger in male taxi drivers than cognitive behavioural therapy (Kazemeini et al., 2013 ). Along these lines, it has been reported that mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy can effectively decrease impulsive behaviours and increase emotional regulation, thus managing anger and aggression (Clark, 2020 ). In a recent study conducted in Iran, it was found that mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy effectively improved anger control in males (Badpa et al., 2019 ). Mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy was also found to reduce driving anger (Diebold, 2003 ).

In this review, we discussed the cognitive correlates of anger, neural substrates of anger, anger-related disorders, and the treatment of anger and its related disorders. In terms of cognitive underpinnings of anger, we found that impulsivity and impaired attention are related to anger processes.

Importantly, we found that like anxiety and drug seeking processes, there are different neural substrates for anger induction and anger control. The role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in anger control is similar to its role in reducing drug-seeking behaviours (Ebrahimi et al., 2019 ; Ghazizadeh et al., 2012 ; Konova et al., 2019 ; Peters et al., 2013 ; Radell et al., 2020 ; Sheynin et al., 2016 ) and anxiety (Hennings et al., 2020 ; Kalisch et al., 2006 ; Moustafa et al., 2013 ; Quirk et al., 2000 ; Radell et al., 2017 ; Scharfenort & Lonsdorf, 2016 ; Sierra-Mercado et al., 2010 ). These studies suggest that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex is very likely a control/inhibition mechanism for different behaviours, including drug seeking, anxiety, and anger This view is supported by recent studies on the role of vmPFC in anger and anxiety (Suzuki & Tanaka, 2021 ) and also on the close connection between anxiety and anger (Carre et al., 2012 ).

In short, the brain has likely evolved a mechanism that include regions for anger expression and different regions for anger reduction. This is most likely similar to other processes, such as the direct and indirect pathways in the basal ganglia that initiate and inhibit movement (Frank et al., 2007 ; Mandali et al., 2015 ; Moustafa et al., 2016 ), brain stimuli nuclei that control sleep (Hassani, Lee, & Jones), prefrontal-hippocampal circuit that control memory retrieval and submission (Benoit & Anderson, 2012 ), and amygdala regions that regulate fear initiation and expression (Strobel et al., 2015 ). For discussion on this topic, see Moustafa ( 2015 ).

Based on studies discussed above showing that anxiety and anger share some similarities, it is suggested that similar treatment strategies can be used for the treatment of both disorders (Brondolo et al., 1997 ). For example, cue exposure therapy has been extensively used for the treatment for anxiety (Suveg et al., 2018 ; Tay et al., 2019 ). Accordingly, Brondolo et al. ( 1997 ) suggested that cue exposure therapy can be used for the treatment of anger-related disorders. They suggested that like anxiety, anger can be triggered by some stimuli in the environment, and cue exposure therapy can teach patients with anger-related disorders to reduce their anger behaviours in relation to these triggers. Cue exposure therapy is an established treatment for anxiety disorders (Bahi & Dreyer, 2020 ; Javanbakht, 2018 ; Loucks et al., 2019 ; Nonkes et al., 2012 ; Stenmark et al., 2013 ). Other studies have also shown that cue exposure therapy can effectively decrease anger feelings (Stapleton et al., 2006 ).

Importantly, our review shows that mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy is more effective at treating anger and aggression than other behavioural treatments. This is possibly due to mindfulness based cognitive behavioural therapy ameliorates cognitive and neural abnormalities related to anger. For example, several studies found that mindfulness can increase attention and decrease impulsivity (Franco et al., 2016 ; Korponay et al., 2019 ; Liu et al., 2021 ; Wimmer et al., 2020 ) and also ameliorate ventromedial prefrontal cortex function (Kirk et al., 2014 ). Similarly, cognitive behavioural therapy was found to increase activity of cortical and subcortical structures impacted by anger, including prefrontal cortex, insula, and anterior cingulate (Porto et al., 2009 ; Seminowicz et al., 2013 ; Straube et al., 2006 ). These findings could explain why combining both mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy is more effective at managing anger than each therapy alone.

Future Work

Given the similarity between anxiety, drug addiction, and anger (see above, and also see Walsh et al., 2018 ), future research should investigate environmental cues that leads to anger. Furthermore, there has been research on the acquisition of emotional responses in the domain of fear and anxiety. Along these lines, given the potential similar role for ventromedial prefrontal cortex and also amygdala in both anxiety and anger, it is possible treatments used for anxiety can successfully also manage anger. Our study has implications for counselling services in high (secondary) schools for mitigating violence and aggression (Arfasa & Weldmeskel, 2020 ). Counselling techniques should include methods to enhance anger control (by activating the ventromedial prefrontal cortex). These techniques can help improve academic and emotional performance of high school students (Arfasa & Weldmeskel, 2020 ). These points should be investigated in future studies.

Research has shown that anxiety can be acquired (Barot et al., 2009 ; Park et al., 2020 ; Rio-Alamos et al., 2015 ). However, to our knowledge, there are almost no research studies on how anger responses are acquired (or learned) in animals and humans. One exception is a study by Stephens and Groeger ( 2011 ) showing anger elicited in one situation can be carried over to subsequent similar scenarios.

Further, anger and aggression have been defined across different dimensions, such that there are state and trait anger and reactive and proactive aggression (see I ntroduction). However, it is not known how the different types of anger to relate to different types of aggression, which should be investigated in future work .

Furthermore, it is not clear why people are easier to have anger feelings when distressed (O'Grady et al., 2012 ; Onyedibe et al., 2020 ). It is possible that this is due to distress increases amygdala activity (Chen et al., 2017 ; Ressler, 2010 ), leading to anger induction. Another potential mechanism is stress causes homeostatic imbalance (Ladakis & Chouvarda, 2021 ), which can, in turn, increase anger feelings and expression (Robins & Novaco, 1999 ; Sorci et al., 2013 ; Williams, 2017 ). Further, future work should investigate mediating factors underlying the distress-anger relationship. It is possible that emotional regulation and mindfulness can help reduce anger in distress-related situations.

While it is well-documented that anger may impact decision making and lead to impulsivity, the reverse could also be correct. In other words, an individual’s decision making style may relate to their anger feelings. This can be studied in future studies by using the General Decision Making Style Questionnaire (Scott & Bruce, 1995 ). Individuals who score low in the rational decision making questions may also show more anger feelings.

Importantly, future research should also compare the existing treatments of anger and aggression including mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. To our knowledge, there is only study that have compared mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy in the context of driving (Kazemeini et al., 2013 ). Given prior studies and the link between anger and distress, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation, it is likely that mindfulness will be more effective at managing anger. Further, future work should investigate how both cognitive behavioural therapies and mindfulness modify erroneous beliefs related to anger, as discussed above (Meyerhoff & Rohan, 2016 ; Pittig et al., 2019 ).

Open Access funding enabled and organized by CAUL and its Member Institutions

Data Availability

Declarations.

The authors declared not having any conflict of interest.

No ethics application is needed for this systematic review.

The authors confirm that no consent was required here, as the review did not include testing participants.

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

• Abadi, D., Arnaldo, I., & Fischer, A. J. F. i. p. (2021). Anxious and angry: Emotional responses to the COVID-19 threat. 3516. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Abernathy K, Chandler LJ, Woodward JJ. Alcohol and the prefrontal cortex. International Review of Neurobiology. 2010; 91 :289–320. doi: 10.1016/S0074-7742(10)91009-X. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Aki BD, Lamptey E, Hembah SN, Oibiokpa OM, Tachin TR. Covid-19 lockdown: Psychological implications on life quality. Journal of Human, Earth, Future. 2020; 1 (2):78–86. doi: 10.28991/HEF-2020-01-02-04. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Alexandra Kredlow M, Fenster RJ, Laurent ES, Ressler KJ, Phelps EA. Prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and threat processing: Implications for PTSD. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2021 doi: 10.1038/s41386-021-01155-7. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Alia-Klein, N., Gan, G., Gilam, G., Bezek, J., Bruno, A., Denson, T. F., . . . Verona, E. (2020). The feeling of anger: From brain networks to linguistic expressions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 108 , 480-497. 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.12.002 [ PubMed ]
• Alia-Klein, N., Goldstein, R. Z., Tomasi, D., Woicik, P. A., Moeller, S. J., Williams, B., . . . Volkow, N. D. (2009). Neural mechanisms of anger regulation as a function of genetic risk for violence. Emotion, 9 (3), 385-396. 10.1037/a0015904 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Alia-Klein, N., Preston-Campbell, R. N., Moeller, S. J., Parvaz, M. A., Bachi, K., Gan, G., . . . Goldstein, R. Z. (2018). Trait anger modulates neural activity in the fronto-parietal attention network. PLoS One, 13 (4), e0194444. 10.1371/journal.pone.0194444 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Allan R, Lindsay W, Macleod F. Treatment of women with intellectual disabilities who have been involved with the criminal justice system for reasons of aggression. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 2001; 14 :340–347. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-3148.2001.00086.x. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ammerman BA, Kleiman EM, Uyeji LL, Knorr AC, McCloskey MS. Suicidal and violent behavior: The role of anger, emotion dysregulation, and impulsivity. Personality and Individual Differences. 2015; 79 :57–62. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2015.01.044. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Amutio A, Franco C, Perez-Fuentes Mde C, Gazquez JJ, Mercader I. Mindfulness training for reducing anger, anxiety, and depression in fibromyalgia patients. Frontiers in Psychology. 2014; 5 :1572. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01572. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• APA. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of medical disorders (Vol. 5th edition). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
• Arfasa, A. J., & Weldmeskel, F. M. J. E. s. j. (2020). Practices and challenges of guidance and counseling services in secondary schools. 4 (3), 183–191.
• Arseneault L, Moffitt TE, Caspi A, Taylor PJ, Silva PA. Mental disorders and violence in a total birth cohort: Results from the Dunedin Study. Archives of General Psychiatry. 2000; 57 (10):979–986. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.57.10.979. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Badpa K, Shirazi M, Arab A. The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Based on Mindfulness on Anger Control of Male Students. J Child Ment Health. 2019; 5 (4):159–168. [ Google Scholar ]
• Baharvand P, Malekshahi F. Relationship between anger and drug addiction potential as factors affecting the health of medical students. Journal of Education Health Promotion. 2019; 8 :157. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_145_19. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bahi A, Dreyer JL. Environmental enrichment decreases chronic psychosocial stress-impaired extinction and reinstatement of ethanol conditioned place preference in C57BL/6 male mice. Psychopharmacology (berl) 2020; 237 (3):707–721. doi: 10.1007/s00213-019-05408-8. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Baron KG, Smith TW, Butner J, Nealey-Moore J, Hawkins MW, Uchino BN. Hostility, anger, and marital adjustment: Concurrent and prospective associations with psychosocial vulnerability. Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 2007; 30 (1):1–10. doi: 10.1007/s10865-006-9086-z. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Barot SK, Chung A, Kim JJ, Bernstein IL. Functional imaging of stimulus convergence in amygdalar neurons during Pavlovian fear conditioning. PLoS ONE. 2009; 4 (7):e6156. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006156. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Barrett LF. Solving the emotion paradox: Categorization and the experience of emotion. Personality and Social Psychology Review. 2006; 10 (1):20–46. doi: 10.1207/s15327957pspr1001_2. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Batrinos ML. Testosterone and aggressive behavior in man. Int J Endocrinol Metab. 2012; 10 (3):563–568. doi: 10.5812/ijem.3661. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Beck R, Fernandez E. Cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of anger: A meta-analysis. Cognitive Therapy and Research. 1998; 22 :63–74. doi: 10.1023/A:1018763902991. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Benoit RG, Anderson MC. Opposing mechanisms support the voluntary forgetting of unwanted memories. Neuron. 2012; 76 (2):450–460. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2012.07.025. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Berkowitz L. Towards a general theory of anger and emotional aggression: Implications of the cognitive-neoassociationistic perspective for the analysis of anger and other emotions. In: Wyer RS, Srull TK, editors. Perspectives on Anger and Emotion. Psychology Press; 1993. pp. 1–46. [ Google Scholar ]
• Blair RJ. The Neurobiology of Impulsive Aggression. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. 2016; 26 (1):4–9. doi: 10.1089/cap.2015.0088. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Blair RJR. Considering anger from a cognitive neuroscience perspective. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci. 2012; 3 (1):65–74. doi: 10.1002/wcs.154. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Borders A, Earleywine M, Jajodia A. Could mindfulness decrease anger, hostility, and aggression by decreasing rumination? Aggressive Behavior. 2010; 36 (1):28–44. doi: 10.1002/ab.20327. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bosch OJ, Neumann ID. Vasopressin released within the central amygdala promotes maternal aggression. European Journal of Neuroscience. 2010; 31 (5):883–891. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07115.x. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bradbury KE, Clarke I. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Anger Management: Effectiveness in Adult Mental Health Services. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. 2007; 35 (2):201–208. doi: 10.1017/S135246580600333X. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Brondolo E, DiGiuseppe R, Tafrate RC. Exposure-Based Treatment for Anger Problems: Focus on the Feeling. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. 1997; 4 :75–98. doi: 10.1016/S1077-7229(97)80013-2. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Buades-Rotger M, Engelke C, Kramer UM. Trait and state patterns of basolateral amygdala connectivity at rest are related to endogenous testosterone and aggression in healthy young women. Brain Imaging and Behavior. 2019; 13 (2):564–576. doi: 10.1007/s11682-018-9884-2. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Carlson JM, Greenberg T, Mujica-Parodi LR. Blind rage? Heightened anger is associated with altered amygdala responses to masked and unmasked fearful faces. Psychiatry Research. 2010; 182 (3):281–283. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.02.001. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Carre JM, Fisher PM, Manuck SB, Hariri AR. Interaction between trait anxiety and trait anger predict amygdala reactivity to angry facial expressions in men but not women. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2012; 7 (2):213–221. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsq101. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Carver CS, Harmon-Jones E. Anger is an approach-related affect: Evidence and implications. Psychological Bulletin. 2009; 135 (2):183–204. doi: 10.1037/a0013965. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Chambers JC, Ward T, Eccleston L, Brown M. The pathways model of assault: A qualitative analysis of the assault offender and offense. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 2009; 24 (9):1423–1449. doi: 10.1177/0886260508323668. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Chen, Y. C., Xia, W., Chen, H., Feng, Y., Xu, J. J., Gu, J. P., . . . Yin, X. (2017). Tinnitus distress is linked to enhanced resting-state functional connectivity from the limbic system to the auditory cortex. Hum Brain Mapp, 38 (5), 2384-2397. 10.1002/hbm.23525 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Cheriji SV, Pintea S, David D. The relationship of anger and cognitive distortions with violence and violent offenders: A meta-analytic review. Eur. J. Psychol. Appl. Leg. Context. 2012; 4 :59–78. [ Google Scholar ]
• Clark LB. Utilizing mindfulness based CBT to address anger and aggression in middle schools. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling. 2020; 6 (2):97–109. doi: 10.1080/23727810.2020.1719351. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Comai S, Tau M, Gobbi G. The psychopharmacology of aggressive behavior: A translational approach: Part 1: Neurobiology. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2012; 32 (1):83–94. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e31823f8770. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Comai S, Tau M, Pavlovic Z, Gobbi G. The psychopharmacology of aggressive behavior: A translational approach: Part 2: Clinical studies using atypical antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and lithium. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2012; 32 (2):237–260. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e31824929d6. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cowen A, Sauter D, Tracy JL, Keltner D. Mapping the Passions: Toward a High-Dimensional Taxonomy of Emotional Experience and Expression. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. 2019; 20 (1):69–90. doi: 10.1177/1529100619850176. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cristofori I, Zhong W, Mandoske V, Chau A, Krueger F, Strenziok M, Grafman J. Brain Regions Influencing Implicit Violent Attitudes: A Lesion-Mapping Study. Journal of Neuroscience. 2016; 36 (9):2757–2768. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2975-15.2016. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Critchfield KL, Levy KN, Clarkin JF. The relationship between impulsivity, aggression, and impulsive-aggression in borderline personality disorder: An empirical analysis of self-report measures. Journal of Personality Disorders. 2004; 18 (6):555–570. doi: 10.1521/pedi.18.6.555.54795. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Damasio AR, Grabowski TJ, Bechara A, Damasio H, Ponto LL, Parvizi J, Hichwa RD. Subcortical and cortical brain activity during the feeling of self-generated emotions. Nature Neuroscience. 2000; 3 (10):1049–1056. doi: 10.1038/79871. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Daniel SS, Goldston DB, Erkanli A, Franklin JC, Mayfield AM. Trait anger, anger expression, and suicide attempts among adolescents and young adults: A prospective study. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. 2009; 38 (5):661–671. doi: 10.1080/15374410903103494. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Deffenbacher, J. L. (1992). Trait anger: Theory, findings, and implications. In C. D. S. J. N. Butcher (Ed.), Advances in personality assessment (Vol. 9, pp. 177–201). Hillsdale, NJ.: Erlbaum.
• Deffenbacher JL, Dahlen ER, Lynch RS, Morris CD, Gowensmith WN. An application of Beck’s cognitive therapy to general anger reduction. Cognitive Therapy and Research. 2000; 24 :689–697. doi: 10.1023/A:1005539428336. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Denson TF, Pedersen WC, Ronquillo J, Nandy AS. The angry brain: Neural correlates of anger, angry rumination, and aggressive personality. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2009; 21 (4):734–744. doi: 10.1162/jocn.2009.21051. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Derntl B, Windischberger C, Robinson S, Kryspin-Exner I, Gur RC, Moser E, Habel U. Amygdala activity to fear and anger in healthy young males is associated with testosterone. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2009; 34 (5):687–693. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.11.007. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Didden, R., Lindsay, W., & Lang, R. (2016). Aggression. In N. Singh (Ed.), Clinical Handbook of Evidence‐Based Practices for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (pp. 727–750.). New York: Springer.
• Didden R, Nijman H, Delforterie M, Keulen-De Vos M. Treatment of anger and violence in individuals with intellectual disability. In: Lindsay WR, Craig LA, Griffiths D, editors. The Wiley Handbook on What Works for Offenders with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: An Evidence-Based Approach to Theory, Assessment, and Treatment. Wiley-Blackwell; 2019. pp. 297–309. [ Google Scholar ]
• Diebold, J. C. (2003). Mindfulness in the machine: A mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the reduction of driving anger. Hofstra University.
• DiGiuseppe R, Froh JJ. What Cognitions Predict State Anger? Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. 2002; 20 :133–150. doi: 10.1023/A:1019835215935. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Dillon KH, Van Voorhees EE, Elbogen EB, Beckham JC, Workgroup VAM-AM, Calhoun PS. Cannabis use disorder, anger, and violence in Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 2021; 138 :375–379. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.04.018. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ebrahimi C, Koch SP, Pietrock C, Fydrich T, Heinz A, Schlagenhauf F. Opposing roles for amygdala and vmPFC in the return of appetitive conditioned responses in humans. Translational Psychiatry. 2019; 9 (1):148. doi: 10.1038/s41398-019-0482-x. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Eckhardt CI, Cohen DJ. Attention to anger-relevant and irrelevant stimuli following naturalistic insult. Personality and Individual Differences. 1997; 23 :619–629. doi: 10.1016/S0191-8869(97)00074-3. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ekman P. What Scientists Who Study Emotion Agree About. Perspectives on Psychological Science. 2016; 11 (1):31–34. doi: 10.1177/1745691615596992. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Eshel N, Maron-Katz A, Wu W, Abu-Amara D, Marmar CR, Etkin A. Neural correlates of anger expression in patients with PTSD. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2021 doi: 10.1038/s41386-020-00942-y. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Fix RL, Fix ST. The effects of mindfulness-based treatments for aggression: A critical review. Aggression and Violent Behavior. 2013; 18 :219–227. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2012.11.009. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Franco C, Amutio A, Lopez-Gonzalez L, Oriol X, Martinez-Taboada C. Effect of a Mindfulness Training Program on the Impulsivity and Aggression Levels of Adolescents with Behavioral Problems in the Classroom. Frontiers in Psychology. 2016; 7 :1385. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01385. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Frank MJ, Samanta J, Moustafa AA, Sherman SJ. Hold your horses: Impulsivity, deep brain stimulation, and medication in parkinsonism. Science. 2007; 318 (5854):1309–1312. doi: 10.1126/science.1146157. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gable PA, Mechin NC, Hicks JA, Adams DL. Supervisory control system and frontal asymmetry: Neurophysiological traits of emotion-based impulsivity. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2015; 10 (10):1310–1315. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsv017. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gable PA, Poole BD, Harmon-Jones E. Anger perceptually and conceptually narrows cognitive scope. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2015; 109 (1):163–174. doi: 10.1037/a0039226. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ganella DE, Barendse MEA, Kim JH, Whittle S. Prefrontal-Amygdala Connectivity and State Anxiety during Fear Extinction Recall in Adolescents. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2017; 11 :587. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00587. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ghazizadeh A, Ambroggi F, Odean N, Fields HL. Prefrontal cortex mediates extinction of responding by two distinct neural mechanisms in accumbens shell. Journal of Neuroscience. 2012; 32 (2):726–737. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3891-11.2012. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gilam G, Abend R, Gurevitch G, Erdman A, Baker H, Ben-Zion Z, Hendler T. Attenuating anger and aggression with neuromodulation of the vmPFC: A simultaneous tDCS-fMRI study. Cortex. 2018; 109 :156–170. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.09.010. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gilam G, Lin T, Raz G, Azrielant S, Fruchter E, Ariely D, Hendler T. Neural substrates underlying the tendency to accept anger-infused ultimatum offers during dynamic social interactions. NeuroImage. 2015; 120 :400–411. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.07.003. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gold AL, Shechner T, Farber MJ, Spiro CN, Leibenluft E, Pine DS, Britton JC. Amygdala-Cortical Connectivity: Associations with Anxiety, Development, and Threat. Depression and Anxiety. 2016; 33 (10):917–926. doi: 10.1002/da.22470. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gouveia, F. V., Hamani, C., Fonoff, E. T., Brentani, H., Alho, E. J. L., de Morais, R., . . . Martinez, R. C. R. (2019). Amygdala and Hypothalamus: Historical Overview With Focus on Aggression. Neurosurgery, 85 (1), 11-30. 10.1093/neuros/nyy635 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Grafman J, Schwab K, Warden D, Pridgen A, Brown HR, Salazar AM. Frontal lobe injuries, violence, and aggression: A report of the Vietnam Head Injury Study. Neurology. 1996; 46 (5):1231–1238. doi: 10.1212/wnl.46.5.1231. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Haller J. The role of central and medial amygdala in normal and abnormal aggression: A review of classical approaches. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2018; 85 :34–43. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.09.017. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hassani OK, Lee MG, Jones BE. Melanin-concentrating hormone neurons discharge in a reciprocal manner to orexin neurons across the sleep-wake cycle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009; 106 (7):2418–2422. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0811400106. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Haustein S, Holgaard R, Ābele L, Andersen SK, Møller M. A cognitive-behavioural intervention to reduce driving anger: Evaluation based on a mixed-method approach. J Accident Analysis Prevention. 2021; 156 :106144. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2021.106144. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hennings AC, McClay M, Lewis-Peacock JA, Dunsmoor JE. Contextual reinstatement promotes extinction generalization in healthy adults but not PTSD. Neuropsychologia. 2020; 147 :107573. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107573. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Henwood KS, Chou S, Browne KD. A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of CBT informed anger management. Aggression and Violent Behavior. 2015; 25 :280–292. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2015.09.011. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Heppner WL, Kernis MH, Lakey CE, Campbell WK, Goldman BM, Davis PJ, Cascio EV. Mindfulness as a means of reducing aggressive behavior: Dispositional and situational evidence. Aggressive Behavior. 2008; 34 (5):486–496. doi: 10.1002/ab.20258. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hoptman MJ. Impulsivity and aggression in schizophrenia: A neural circuitry perspective with implications for treatment. CNS Spectrums. 2015; 20 (3):280–286. doi: 10.1017/S1092852915000206. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Howells P, Rogers C, Wilcock S. Evaluating a cognitive/behavioural approach to anger management skills in adults with learning disabilities. British Journal of Learning Disabilities. 2000; 28 :137–142. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-3156.2000.00025.x. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Javanbakht A. A Theory of Everything: Overlapping Neurobiological Mechanisms of Psychotherapies of Fear and Anxiety Related Disorders. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. 2018; 12 :328. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00328. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kalisch R, Korenfeld E, Stephan KE, Weiskopf N, Seymour B, Dolan RJ. Context-dependent human extinction memory is mediated by a ventromedial prefrontal and hippocampal network. Journal of Neuroscience. 2006; 26 (37):9503–9511. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2021-06.2006. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kazemeini T, Ghanbari-e-Hashem-Abadi B, Safarzadeh A. Mindfulness based cognitive group therapy vs cognitive behavioral group therapy as a treatment for driving anger and aggression in Iranian taxi drivers. Psychology. 2013; 4 (8):638–644. doi: 10.4236/psych.2013.48091. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kelly, J. R. (2007). Mindfulness-based and Cognitive-behavior Therapy for Anger-management: an Integrated Approach. (PCOM Psychology Dissertations. 68), Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/psychology_dissertations/68
• Khan MM, Hyder AA. Suicides in the developing world: Case study from Pakistan. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 2006; 36 (1):76–81. doi: 10.1521/suli.2006.36.1.76. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kirk U, Gu X, Harvey AH, Fonagy P, Montague PR. Mindfulness training modulates value signals in ventromedial prefrontal cortex through input from insular cortex. NeuroImage. 2014; 100 :254–262. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.06.035. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Klimecki OM, Sander D, Vuilleumier P. Distinct Brain Areas involved in Anger versus Punishment during Social Interactions. Science and Reports. 2018; 8 (1):10556. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-28863-3. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Konova, A. B., Parvaz, M. A., Bernstein, V., Zilverstand, A., Moeller, S. J., Delgado, M. R., . . . Goldstein, R. Z. (2019). Neural mechanisms of extinguishing drug and pleasant cue associations in human addiction: role of the VMPFC. Addict Biol, 24 (1), 88-99. 10.1111/adb.12545 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Koole SL, Tschacher W. Synchrony in Psychotherapy: A Review and an Integrative Framework for the Therapeutic Alliance. Frontiers in Psychology. 2016; 7 :862. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00862. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Korponay, C., Dentico, D., Kral, T. R. A., Ly, M., Kruis, A., Davis, K., . . . Davidson, R. J. (2019). The Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Impulsivity and its Neurobiological Correlates in Healthy Adults. Sci Rep, 9 (1), 11963. 10.1038/s41598-019-47662-y [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Kramer UM, Jansma H, Tempelmann C, Munte TF. Tit-for-tat: The neural basis of reactive aggression. NeuroImage. 2007; 38 (1):203–211. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.07.029. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Ladakis I, Chouvarda IJESJ. Overview of Biosignal Analysis Methods for the Assessment of Stress. 2021; 5 (2):233–244. [ Google Scholar ]
• Lee AH, DiGiuseppe R. Anger and aggression treatments: A review of meta-analyses. Current Opinion in Psychology. 2018; 19 :65–74. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.04.004. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Lickley RA, Sebastian CL. The neural basis of reactive aggression and its development in adolescence. Psychology, Crime & Law. 2018; 24 (3):313–333. doi: 10.1080/1068316X.2017.1420187. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Lievaart M, Franken IH, Hovens JE. Anger Assessment in Clinical and Nonclinical Populations: Further Validation of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2016; 72 (3):263–278. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22253. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Lievaart M, van der Veen FM, Huijding J, Hovens JE, Franken IHA. The Relation Between Trait Anger and Impulse Control in Forensic Psychiatric Patients: An EEG Study. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. 2018; 43 (2):131–142. doi: 10.1007/s10484-018-9393-5. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Lindsay W, Allan R, Macleod F. Long term treatment and management of violent tendencies of men with intellectual disabilities convicted of assault. Mental Retardation. 2003; 41 :47–56. doi: 10.1352/0047-6765(2003)041<0047:LTTAMO>2.0.CO;2. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Liu F, Zhang Z, Liu S, Zhang N. Examining the effects of brief mindfulness training on athletes' flow: The mediating role of resilience. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021; 2021 :6633658. doi: 10.1155/2021/6633658. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Loucks, L., Yasinski, C., Norrholm, S. D., Maples-Keller, J., Post, L., Zwiebach, L., . . . Rothbaum, B. O. (2019). You can do that?!: Feasibility of virtual reality exposure therapy in the treatment of PTSD due to military sexual trauma. J Anxiety Disord, 61 , 55-63. 10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.06.004 [ PubMed ]
• Mandali A, Rengaswamy M, Chakravarthy VS, Moustafa AA. A spiking Basal Ganglia model of synchrony, exploration and decision making. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2015; 9 :191. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00191. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Masood, A., Kamran, F., Qaisar, S., & Ashraf, F. (2019). Anger, Impulsivity, Academic Stress and Suicidal Risk in suicide Ideators and Normal Cohorts Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 28 (2).
• Mayan I, Meiran N. Anger and the speed of full-body approach and avoidance reactions. Frontiers in Psychology. 2011; 2 :22. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00022. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• McGirr A, Renaud J, Bureau A, Seguin M, Lesage A, Turecki G. Impulsive-aggressive behaviours and completed suicide across the life cycle: A predisposition for younger age of suicide. Psychological Medicine. 2008; 38 (3):407–417. doi: 10.1017/S0033291707001419. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Meissner P, Poensgen C, Wulf T. How hot cognition can lead us astray: The effect of anger on strategic decision making. European Management Journal. 2021; 39 (4):434–444. doi: 10.1016/j.emj.2020.09.010. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Meyerhoff J, Rohan KJ. Treatment expectations for cognitive-behavioral therapy and light therapy for seasonal affective disorder: Change across treatment and relation to outcome. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2016; 84 (10):898–906. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000121. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Morawetz C, Bode S, Baudewig J, Kirilina E, Heekeren HR. Changes in Effective Connectivity Between Dorsal and Ventral Prefrontal Regions Moderate Emotion Regulation. Cerebral Cortex. 2016; 26 (5):1923–1937. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhv005. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Moustafa AA. On and Off switches in the brain. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. 2015; 9 :114. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00114. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Moustafa, A. A., Chakravarthy, S., Phillips, J. R., Gupta, A., Keri, S., Polner, B., . . . Jahanshahi, M. (2016). Motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease: A unified framework. Neurosci Biobehav Rev, 68 , 727-740. 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.010 [ PubMed ]
• Moustafa AA, Gilbertson MW, Orr SP, Herzallah MM, Servatius RJ, Myers CE. A model of amygdala-hippocampal-prefrontal interaction in fear conditioning and extinction in animals. Brain and Cognition. 2013; 81 (1):29–43. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2012.10.005S0278-2626(12)00141-8[pii]. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Murakami H, Katsunuma R, Oba K, Terasawa Y, Motomura Y, Mishima K, Moriguchi Y. Neural Networks for Mindfulness and Emotion Suppression. PLoS ONE. 2015; 10 (6):e0128005. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128005. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Nonkes LJ, de Pooter M, Homberg JR. Behavioural therapy based on distraction alleviates impaired fear extinction in male serotonin transporter knockout rats. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. 2012; 37 (2):110116. doi: 10.1503/jpn.110116. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• O'Grady E, Dempsey L, Fabby C. Anger: A common form of psychological distress among patients at the end of life. International Journal of Palliative Nursing. 2012; 18 (12):592–596. doi: 10.12968/ijpn.2012.18.12.592. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Onwubiko, E. C. (2022). Managing anger among student-librarians using aggression replacement training and cognitive behavioral therapy. Library Philosophy Practice , 1–19.
• Onyedibe MCC, Ibeagha PN, Onyishi IE. Distress tolerance moderates the relationship between anger experience and elevated blood pressure. South African Journal of Psychology. 2020; 50 (1):39–53. doi: 10.1177/0081246319832540. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Pare D, Smith Y. The intercalated cell masses project to the central and medial nuclei of the amygdala in cats. Neuroscience. 1993; 57 (4):1077–1090. doi: 10.1016/0306-4522(93)90050-P. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Park CHJ, Ganella DE, Perry CJ, Kim JH. Dissociated roles of dorsal and ventral hippocampus in recall and extinction of conditioned fear in male and female juvenile rats. Experimental Neurology. 2020; 329 :113306. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113306. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Peters J, Pattij T, De Vries TJ. Targeting cocaine versus heroin memories: Divergent roles within ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. 2013; 34 (12):689–695. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2013.10.004. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Pittig A, Kotter R, Hoyer J. The Struggle of Behavioral Therapists With Exposure: Self-Reported Practicability, Negative Beliefs, and Therapist Distress About Exposure-Based Interventions. Behavior Therapy. 2019; 50 (2):353–366. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2018.07.003. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Porto PR, Oliveira L, Mari J, Volchan E, Figueira I, Ventura P. Does cognitive behavioral therapy change the brain? A systematic review of neuroimaging in anxiety disorders. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 2009; 21 (2):114–125. doi: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.21.2.114. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Prabhu P, Srinivas R, Vishwanathan K, Raavi A. Factors influencing alcohol and tobacco addiction among patients attending a de-addiction Centre, South India. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2014; 4 (2):103–107. doi: 10.4103/2231-0762.137645. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Putman P, Hermans E, van Honk J. Emotional stroop performance for masked angry faces: It's BAS, not BIS. Emotion. 2004; 4 (3):305–311. doi: 10.1037/1528-3542.4.3.305. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Quirk GJ, Russo GK, Barron JL, Lebron K. The role of ventromedial prefrontal cortex in the recovery of extinguished fear. Journal of Neuroscience. 2000; 20 (16):6225–6231. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.20-16-06225.2000. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Radell, M., Ghafar, F., Casbolt, P., & Moustafa, A. A. (2020). Avoidance learning and behavior in patients with addiction. In A. A. Moustafa (Ed.), Cognitive, clinical, and neural aspects of drug addiction (pp. 113–135), 113, : Elsevier.
• Radell, M. L., Myers, C. E., Sheynin, J., & Moustafa, A. A. (2017). Computational models of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In A. Moustafa (Ed.), Computational models of Brain and Behavior. (Vol. 43, pp. 43–55.): Wiley-Blackwell.
• Ressler KJ. Amygdala activity, fear, and anxiety: Modulation by stress. Biological Psychiatry. 2010; 67 (12):1117–1119. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.04.027. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Rio-Alamos C, Oliveras I, Canete T, Blazquez G, Martinez-Membrives E, Tobena A, Fernandez-Teruel A. Neonatal handling decreases unconditioned anxiety, conditioned fear, and improves two-way avoidance acquisition: A study with the inbred Roman high (RHA-I)- and low-avoidance (RLA-I) rats of both sexes. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. 2015; 9 :174. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00174. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Robins S, Novaco R. Systems conceptualization and treatment of anger. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 1999; 55 (3):325–337. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4679(199903)55:3<325::AID-JCLP5>3.0.CO;2-O. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Rueda MR, Posner MI, Rothbart MK. Attentional control and self-regulation. In: Vohs RFBKD, editor. Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications. Guilford Press; 2004. pp. 283–300. [ Google Scholar ]
• Saghir Z, Syeda JN, Muhammad AS, Balla Abdalla TH. The Amygdala, Sleep Debt, Sleep Deprivation, and the Emotion of Anger: A Possible Connection? Cureus. 2018; 10 (7):e2912. doi: 10.7759/cureus.2912. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Scharfenort R, Lonsdorf TB. Neural correlates of and processes underlying generalized and differential return of fear. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2016; 11 (4):612–620. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsv142. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Scott SG, Bruce RA. Decision-making style: The development and assessment of a new measure. Educational and Psychological Measurement. 1995; 55 (5):818–831. doi: 10.1177/0013164495055005017. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Scott SK, Young AW, Calder AJ, Hellawell DJ, Aggleton JP, Johnson M. Impaired auditory recognition of fear and anger following bilateral amygdala lesions. Nature. 1997; 385 (6613):254–257. doi: 10.1038/385254a0. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Seguin JR. The frontal lobe and aggression. The European Journal of Developmental Psychology. 2009; 6 (1):100–119. doi: 10.1080/17405620701669871. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Seminowicz, D. A., Shpaner, M., Keaser, M. L., Krauthamer, G. M., Mantegna, J., Dumas, J. A., . . . Naylor, M. R. (2013). Cognitive-behavioral therapy increases prefrontal cortex gray matter in patients with chronic pain. J Pain, 14 (12), 1573-1584. 10.1016/j.jpain.2013.07.020 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Sharma MK, Suman LN, Murthy P, Marimuthu P. Relationship of Anger with Alcohol use Treatment Outcome: Follow-up Study. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2017; 39 (4):426–429. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.211757. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sheynin, J., Moustafa, A. A., Beck, K. D., Servatius, R. J., Casbolt, P. A., Haber, P., . . . Myers, C. E. (2016). Exaggerated acquisition and resistance to extinction of avoidance behavior in treated heroin-dependent men. J Clin Psychiatry, 77 (3), 386-394. 10.4088/JCP.14m09284 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Siep N, Tonnaer F, van de Ven V, Arntz A, Raine A, Cima M. Anger provocation increases limbic and decreases medial prefrontal cortex connectivity with the left amygdala in reactive aggressive violent offenders. Brain Imaging and Behavior. 2019; 13 (5):1311–1323. doi: 10.1007/s11682-018-9945-6. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sierra-Mercado P-C, N., & Quirk, G. J. Dissociable roles of prelimbic and infralimbic cortices, ventral hippocampus, and basolateral amygdala in the expression and extinction of conditioned fear. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2010; 36 (2):529–538. doi: 10.1038/npp.2010.184. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Silva BA, Gross CT, Graff J. The neural circuits of innate fear: Detection, integration, action, and memorization. Learning & Memory. 2016; 23 (10):544–555. doi: 10.1101/lm.042812.116. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Simmons, M., McEwan, T. E., & Purcell, R. (2022). A social-cognitive investigation of young adults who abuse their parents. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37 (1–2), NP327-NP349. [ PubMed ]
• Singh N, Lancioni G, Karazsia B. Mindfulness-based treatment of aggression in individuals with mild intellectual disabilities: A waiting list control study. Mindfulness. 2013; 4 :158–167. doi: 10.1007/s12671-012-0180-8. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Smith LE, Duffy B, Moxham-Hall V, Strang L, Wessely S, Rubin GJ. Anger and confrontation during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national cross-sectional survey in the UK. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 2021; 114 (2):77–90. doi: 10.1177/0141076820962068. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Smith P, Waterman M. Processing bias for aggression words in forensic and nonforensic samples. Cognition and Emotion. 2003; 17 :681–701. doi: 10.1080/02699930302281. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Smith P, Waterman M. Sex differences in processing aggression words using the emotional Stroop task. Aggressive Behavior. 2005; 31 :271–282. doi: 10.1002/ab.20071. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Smith TW, Glazer K, Ruiz JM, Gallo LC. Hostility, anger, aggressiveness, and coronary heart disease: An interpersonal perspective on personality, emotion, and health. Journal of Personality. 2004; 72 (6):1217–1270. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2004.00296.x. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sohn, B. K., Oh, Y. K., Choi, J. S., Song, J., Lim, A., Lee, J. P., . . . Lim, C. S. (2018). Effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness in end-stage renal disease hemodialysis patients. Kidney Res Clin Pract, 37 (1), 77-84. 10.23876/j.krcp.2018.37.1.77 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Sorci G, Riuzzi F, Giambanco I, Donato R. RAGE in tissue homeostasis, repair and regeneration. Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. 2013; 1833 (1):101–109. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2012.10.021. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Spielberger, C. D. (1988). Manual for the state trait anger expression inventory. Odessa, FL.: PAR.
• Stapleton JA, Taylor S, Asmundson GJ. Effects of three PTSD treatments on anger and guilt: Exposure therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and relaxation training. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 2006; 19 (1):19–28. doi: 10.1002/jts.20095. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Stein MB, Goldin PR, Sareen J, Zorrilla LT, Brown GG. Increased amygdala activation to angry and contemptuous faces in generalized social phobia. Archives of General Psychiatry. 2002; 59 (11):1027–1034. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.59.11.1027. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Stenmark, H., Catani, C., Neuner, F., Elbert, T., & Holen, A. (2013). Treating PTSD in refugees and asylum seekers within the general health care system. A randomized controlled multicenter study. Behav Res Ther, 51 (10), 641–647. 10.1016/j.brat.2013.07.002 [ PubMed ]
• Stephens AN, Groeger JA. Situational specificity of trait influences on drivers’ evaluations and driving behaviour. Transportation Research Part f: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour. 2009; 12 (1):29–39. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2008.06.005. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Stephens AN, Groeger JA. Anger-congruent behaviour transfers across driving situations. Cognition and Emotion. 2011; 25 (8):1423–1438. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2010.551184. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Stephens AN, Koppel S, Young KL, Chambers R, Hassed C. Associations between self-reported mindfulness, driving anger and aggressive driving. Transportation Research Part F. 2018; 56 :149–155. doi: 10.1016/j.trf.2018.04.011. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Straube T, Glauer M, Dilger S, Mentzel HJ, Miltner WH. Effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on brain activation in specific phobia. NeuroImage. 2006; 29 (1):125–135. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.07.007. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Strobel C, Marek R, Gooch HM, Sullivan RK, Sah P. Prefrontal and Auditory Input to Intercalated Neurons of the Amygdala. Cell Reports. 2015 doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.02.008. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sukhodolsky DG, Smith SD, McCauley SA, Ibrahim K, Piasecka JB. Behavioral Interventions for Anger, Irritability, and Aggression in Children and Adolescents. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. 2016; 26 (1):58–64. doi: 10.1089/cap.2015.0120. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Suveg C, Jones A, Davis M, Jacob ML, Morelen D, Thomassin K, Whitehead M. Emotion-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Youth with Anxiety Disorders: A Randomized Trial. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. 2018; 46 (3):569–580. doi: 10.1007/s10802-017-0319-0. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Suzuki Y, Tanaka SC. Functions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in emotion regulation under stress. Science and Reports. 2021; 11 (1):18225. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-97751-0. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Swanson LW, Petrovich GD. What is the amygdala? Trends in Neurosciences. 1998; 21 (8):323–331. doi: 10.1016/S0166-2236(98)01265-X. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Szasz PL, Szentagotai A, Hofmann SG. The effect of emotion regulation strategies on anger. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 2011; 49 (2):114–119. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2010.11.011. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Tay KW, Subramaniam P, Oei TP. Cognitive behavioural therapy can be effective in treating anxiety and depression in persons with dementia: A systematic review. Psychogeriatrics. 2019; 19 (3):264–275. doi: 10.1111/psyg.12391. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Taylor J, Novaco R. Anger control problems. In: Taylor J, Lindsay W, Hastings R, editors. Psychological Therapies for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities. Wiley; 2013. pp. 133–155. [ Google Scholar ]
• Tu Y, Kroener S, Abernathy K, Lapish C, Seamans J, Chandler LJ, Woodward JJ. Ethanol inhibits persistent activity in prefrontal cortical neurons. Journal of Neuroscience. 2007; 27 (17):4765–4775. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5378-06.2007. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Valizadeh S, Ozouni-Davaji RB, Ozouni-Davaji RB, Nikamal M. The effectiveness of anger management skills training on reduction of aggression in adolescents. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2010; 5 :1195–1199. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.260. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• van Honk J, Tuiten A, de Haan E, van den Hout M, Stam H. Attention biases for angry faces: Relationships to trait anger and anxiety. Cognition and Emotion. 2001; 15 :279–297. doi: 10.1080/02699930126112. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Walsh LM, Wolk CB, Haimes EMB, Jensen-Doss A, Beidas RS. The Relationship Between Anger and Anxiety Symptoms in Youth with Anxiety Disorders. J Child Adolesc Couns. 2018; 4 (2):117–133. doi: 10.1080/23727810.2017.1381930. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Wang, L., He, C. Z., Yu, Y. M., Qiu, X. H., Yang, X. X., Qiao, Z. X., . . . Yang, Y. J. (2014). Associations between impulsivity, aggression, and suicide in Chinese college students. BMC Public Health, 14 , 551. 10.1186/1471-2458-14-551 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Wilkowski BM, Robinson MD. The cognitive basis of trait anger and reactive aggression: An integrative analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review. 2008; 12 (1):3–21. doi: 10.1177/1088868307309874. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Wilkowski BM, Robinson MD. The anatomy of anger: An integrative cognitive model of trait anger and reactive aggression. Journal of Personality. 2010; 78 (1):9–38. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2009.00607.x. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Williams, R. (2017). Anger as a basic emotion and its role in personality building and pathological growth: The neuroscientific, developmental and clinical perspectives. Front Psychol, 8 , 1950. 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01950 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Wimmer L, Bellingrath S, von Stockhausen L. Mindfulness training for improving attention regulation in university students: Is it effective? and do yoga and homework matter? Frontiers in Psychology. 2020; 11 :719. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00719. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Wright S, Day A, Howells K. Mindfulness and the treatment of anger problems. Aggression and Violent Behavior. 2009; 14 :396–401. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2009.06.008. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Yang Y, Joshi SH, Jahanshad N, Thompson PM, Baker LA. Neural correlates of proactive and reactive aggression in adolescent twins. Aggressive Behavior. 2017; 43 (3):230–240. doi: 10.1002/ab.21683. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Zelazo PD, Cunningham WA. Executive function: Mechanisms underlying emotion regulation. In: Gross JJ, editor. Handbook of emotion regulation. Guilford Press; 2007. pp. 135–158. [ Google Scholar ]
• Zhan J, Ren J, Sun P, Fan J, Liu C, Luo J. The Neural Basis of Fear Promotes Anger and Sadness Counteracts Anger. Neural Plasticity. 2018; 2018 :3479059. doi: 10.1155/2018/3479059. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

The Importance of Self-Control

How it works

Self-control, you know, is often seen as one of those key things that can really shape how well we do in life. It’s all about being able to keep your emotions, thoughts, and actions in check, even when temptations are everywhere. These days, with so many things offering instant rewards, being able to hold back is even more important. Let’s dive into why self-control matters so much, looking at areas like school, mental health, and our relationships with others.

• 1 Doing Well in School and Self-Control
• 2 Mental Health and Self-Control
• 3 Relationships and Self-Control
• 4 Wrapping Up

Doing Well in School and Self-Control

There’s a lot of proof that shows a link between self-control and doing well in school. Kids who can control themselves tend to get better grades. Why? Well, for one, self-control helps with using time wisely. Procrastination, something lots of people struggle with, is really just a lack of self-control. When students can ignore distractions, they can spend their time studying and doing homework instead.

Also, self-control helps with setting and achieving long-term goals. Doing well in school isn’t just about being smart; it’s about sticking with it and putting in the effort. The ability to wait for a bigger reward—like studying for a test instead of going to a party—can lead to better grades and a deeper understanding of what they’re learning.

Plus, self-control helps students stay focused during classes and study sessions. Being able to pay attention and not get sidetracked by social media or chatting with friends helps them learn and remember stuff better. So, self-control isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s key to doing well in school.

Mental Health and Self-Control

Self-control isn’t just about school; it’s super important for mental health too. People who practice self-control can handle stress and anxiety better. By keeping their reactions in check and staying balanced, they can face challenges calmly and logically.

It also helps with managing emotions. Being able to control your feelings—like not exploding in anger or giving in to sadness—helps keep you emotionally stable. This emotional control is crucial for building resilience, which is the ability to bounce back from tough times.

Moreover, self-control can lower the risk of certain mental health issues. Problems like binge eating or substance abuse often come from not being able to control impulses. By building self-control, people can reduce their chances of falling into these issues, leading to a healthier life.

Relationships and Self-Control

Self-control is a big deal when it comes to relationships too. Being able to control yourself in social situations leads to better and more meaningful connections. For example, during an argument, self-control can stop you from saying something hurtful in the heat of the moment. Instead, it allows for calm and constructive conversations, which are essential for resolving conflicts and keeping the peace.

It also helps with empathy and patience. Being able to listen and respond thoughtfully rather than impulsively makes for better understanding and connection with others. This empathetic approach is key for building trust and rapport, whether it’s with friends, partners, or colleagues.

Additionally, self-control in relationships means respecting personal boundaries. It involves having the discipline to say no when needed and respecting others when they do the same. This mutual respect is the foundation of any healthy relationship.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up, self-control is a really valuable trait that affects many parts of our lives, from doing well in school to mental health and relationships. It helps with managing time, setting goals, and handling emotions. By developing self-control, we can face life’s challenges with strength and grace, build strong connections, and reach our goals. In a world full of distractions, being able to control ourselves isn’t just helpful; it’s essential for a happy and successful life.

Cite this page

The Importance of Self-Control. (2024, Sep 17). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-importance-of-self-control/

"The Importance of Self-Control." PapersOwl.com , 17 Sep 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-importance-of-self-control/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Importance of Self-Control . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-importance-of-self-control/ [Accessed: 18 Sep. 2024]

"The Importance of Self-Control." PapersOwl.com, Sep 17, 2024. Accessed September 18, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-importance-of-self-control/

"The Importance of Self-Control," PapersOwl.com , 17-Sep-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-importance-of-self-control/. [Accessed: 18-Sep-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Importance of Self-Control . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-importance-of-self-control/ [Accessed: 18-Sep-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

Power every product

Become a Sustainer

Five Tips to Manage your Anger in Islam | Blog

Published: September 16, 2024 • Updated: September 16, 2024

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

What is righteous anger?

Tip 1: Seek refuge with Allah from Satan

أعوذُ باللهِ مِنَ الشيطانِ الرجيم A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan.

Tip 2: Know when to walk away

 tip 3: keep silent, tip no. 4: make  wudu, tip no. 5: remember the reward for controlling anger, a  du’a  to relieve anger.

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي، وَأَذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قَلْبِي، وَأَعِذْنِي مِنْ مُضِلاتِ الْفِتَنِ مَا أَحْيَيْتَنَا .                 Allahumma-ghfir li dhanbii, wa adhhib ghayza qalbi, wa a'ithnii min mudillatil-fitn ma ahyaytana. O Allah, the Lord of Muhammad ﷺ, forgive my sins, remove the anger from my heart and protect me from the trials of misguidance as you long as you allow us to live.’” ( Musnad Ahmad,  no. 26576)

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in these papers and articles are strictly those of the authors. Furthermore, Yaqeen does not endorse any of the personal views of the authors on any platform. Our team is diverse on all fronts, allowing for constant, enriching dialogue that helps us produce high-quality research.

Additional resources