“Why are you so angry?” , “What is your problem?”, “Why do you have a chip on the shoulder?”, “Calm down, damn!”. Does this sound familiar to you or someone you know? Is it ok to feel angry at someone or something? The answer is yes, since anger is part of an emotion that we all go through. Should your anger be a permanent mark in your life like a tattoo? The answer is no! The outlook of your happiness in your life depends on how you deal with your anger issue.
Anger comes from various sources. Sometimes these occurrences are beyond our control such as death of a loved one, infidelity, or child abuse. Ongoing anger can leave some negative effects in your life such as employment termination, being cut off by friends/family, stress related health problems, or substance abuse. I’m sure you heard the old saying, misery loves company!
Is it possible to address the anger issue? Mmmm… that depends on the individual with the anger issue. First of all the person must acknowledge that they have a problem with anger. Second, they have to be ready to accept the help in order to deal with the anger such as individual counseling. Third, they have to be active in the counseling sessions in order to see positive results. Common issues that are address in counseling are past trauma events that left the person feeling very angry, the negative perception/beliefs about oneself, and the negative behaviors that the person display when he or she becomes angry.
The anger will not go away on its own. It’s best to take care the issue or you will end up being your own worse enemy. Real talk!
Wendy Williams LCSW Counseling 