Anger Management Class: Does This Sound Like You?

Are you stressed out, overwhelmed, at a dead end and wondering if anger management classes can help? Feeling angry as a response to a threatening situation, a response to injustice or a reaction to being hurt is a normal, healthy thing. It's a reaction rooted in self-preservation. Sometimes we experience anger as a momentary burst of rage that quickly passes and sometimes we experience it as a persistent response to an unresolved problem.

Anger classes won't teach how to avoid getting angry but instead how to work through the anger in more constructive ways that are less likely to hurt your relationships.

When you are very angry, what do you normally do? Scream? Yell at people? Hit them? Throw things? This is how society teaches most of us to respond to rage. As you may well know, these sorts of reactions can lead to everything from marriage problems and broken relationships to jail time. Being out of control never solves the problem. Either your anger controls you or you control your anger.

Anger classes simply teach you how to retain control when you're angry and give you more options -ones that often lead to different and better results.

If the way you normally deal with anger isn't working anymore, anger control classes may be for you.

Expressing your needs

Everyone has basic needs such as the need for love, affection, community, time alone, or security and predictability; when those needs are not being met, we get angry. Do you know what your needs are? Now can you communicate those needs to those around you? Most anger management classes focus on teaching good communications skills because miscommunication or poor communication is often the root of problems that cause angry outbursts. Assertive communication means being able to clearly express your needs without hurting others.

All this may not be easy and won't come overnight; practice is key. Anger management classes can help you through this process step-by-step and lead to healthier, happier relationships.