“You can’t see your reflection in boiling water.  Similarly, truth can’t be seen in a state of anger; so analyse before you finalise.”

Anger is a normal emotion, which EVERYONE experiences. It energises into action and, at times, can be useful.  However, it can become a problem if we become angry very often and the anger leads us to engage in behaviours that are later regretted.

Anger is often linked to feeling threatened.  This stimulates the body’s adrenaline response which is our body’s way of helping us to cope by either fighting  – attack – or running away.  The ‘attack’ response is particularly relevant when someone experiences anger.

To help overcome a persistent anger problem, we need to understand what we are REALLY angry about – which may well be NOT what we are directing our anger towards at that time.  It is often due to something related to something from our past, and the current situation FEELS similar, so it triggers our angry response now.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) teaches people how to manage many difficult emotions.  Both Emotional Regulation and Distress Tolerance Skills form key components of DBT and are particularly helpful in relation to strong emotions such as anger.

The Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic offers a full DBT programme, including both individual and group therapy options.  For more information, please contact us.