What?! Anger management class? Is that not for people who throw things and get into fights? Well, if that is the first question that came to your mind, you are not alone. Most people who have anger issues hardly know or admit that they have one.
Unlike the pop culture representation of anger, it is more than someone having a yelling session with smoke billowing from their nostrils. It is much more subtle in real-life situations. Undiagnosed and unacknowledged, it can easily and quickly ruin relationships, careers, get you into trouble, and make your life very isolated.
How do I know if I have an anger issue?
It is important that you recognize the symptoms of anger. They can be physical as well as emotional. Under normal circumstances, without the effects of drugs abuse or medication, symptoms of anger can manifest as:
- Anxiety
- Uncontrolled rage
- Irritability
- Palpitations of the heart
- Pressure in the head accompanied by headaches
- Tingling of the limbs
Now consider if these symptoms have a direct effect on how you react when you experience them. Are you translating your uncontrolled emotions in a way that is hurting you and those around you? Do you normally reflect on your actions later on and feel remorseful?
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, consider an anger management class. Anger is a very powerful emotion, and if it is unchecked, it can very easily ruin your life.
Keep in mind that feeling irritated and angry occasionally is very different from having an anger management issue. It is an emotion, after all, so you have the power to control it. Do not feel hesitation in enrolling in an anger management class if you find that you cannot keep in under control. There is always help.
