Anger Management
in Lexington, Richmond & Frankfort KY
What is Anger Management?
Anger is a normal, healthy emotion that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage. Anger is accompanied by physiological and biological changes, including increases in heart rate, blood pressure, energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.
Anger management is the process of learning to recognize signs that you are becoming angry and to take the appropriate actions to calm down and deal with the situation. While it is impossible to completely avoid situations, things or people that anger you, you can learn to manage your reactions.
Signs & Symptoms
People who suffer from anger management issues typically have a low tolerance for frustration, and get angry more easily and more intensely than the average person.
Signs that you may suffer from anger management issues include:
- Experiencing a regular feeling that you have to hold in your anger.
- Constantly feeling cynical, irritated, impatient, critical or hostile.
- Experiencing frequent, escalating arguments with your partner, children, or co-workers.
- Resorting to physical violence or physical threats of violence against people or property.
- Engaging in out-of control or frightening behavior, such as breaking things or driving recklessly.
- Experiencing anxiety or depression about anger
Diagnosis & Treatment Options
Here are some useful tips to help tame your temper:
- Think before you speak. When angry, your thinking can be very exaggerated and overly dramatic. Before speaking, take a moment to collect your thoughts and replace them with more rational ideas. Remind yourself that getting angry is not going to fix anything or make you feel any better.
- Express your anger and frustration in an assertive but non-confrontational way. Again, think about what you want to say before you say it, and listen carefully to what the other person is saying, as well. Avoid criticizing or placing blame on others in the situation.
- If your immediate surroundings are causing anger and frustration, take a timeout and remove yourself from the environment. Give yourself short breaks during stressful periods to allow yourself to be better prepared to handle the situation. Physical exercise can also help reduce stress and relieve tension. If you feel your anger escalating, go for a brisk walk or spend some time doing enjoyable physical activities.
- Instead of focusing on what makes you mad, try to identify possible solutions and resolve the issues at hand. Approach the problem with your best effort and make a serious attempt to face it head-on, even if the problem does not get solved right away.
- Use humor to release tension and defuse the situation. Humor makes you realize that you are being unreasonable and how unimportant the things you are angry about really are. Be careful to avoid laughing off your problems and resorting to sarcastic humor!
- Practice relaxation skills to calm down angry feelings. Common relaxation techniques include breathing deeply from your diaphragm, slowly repeating a calm word or phrase, imagining a relaxing scene or participating in non-strenuous yoga exercises to relax your muscles.
- Know when to seek help. Controlling anger is a challenge for everyone. Consider seeking help when your anger seems out of control, when it causes you to regret your actions or when it hurts those around you.
There Is Hope!
Anger management counseling focuses on learning specific skills and ways of thinking to help you cope with your anger. Improving your ability to manage anger has several benefits, which allow you to have more control when facing life’s challenges. If you feel that your anger is out of control or if it is having an impact on your relationships and other parts of your life, please consider scheduling an appointment to meet with our team to learn valuable techniques for managing your anger today.
Don’t hesitate to contact our office or visit these websites for more information about anger management.
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Lexington, KY
Darby Creek Location
501 Darby Creek Road
Suite 11
Lexington KY, 40509
Phone:
859-338-0466
Fax:
859-294-0802
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- Darby Creek Lexington, KY 501 Darby Creek Road, Lexington, KY, United States
- Duval Street Location Lexington, KY 1092 Duval Street, Lexington, KY, United States
- Frankfort, KY 105 Diagnostic Dr, Frankfort, KY 40601, United States
- 1043 Center Dr, Richmond, KY 40475, United States 1043 Center Dr, Richmond, KY 40475, United States
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Lexington Counseling and Psychiatry Updates
Substance use is a growing health concern. 47.7 million Americans reported the use of illegal substances according to a study conducted in 2023 by The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. A Substance Use Disorder (SUD), defined by The American Psychiatric Association, is ‘a complex condition in which there is uncontrolled use of a substance despite harmful consequences.’ The American Psychiatric Association recognizes that someone who has a SUD has an intense urge to engage in any of the listed substances - alcohol, tobacco, or psychoactive substances that impact daily functioning, interpersonal relationships, and overall health. Another term well known for SUD is addiction. There is no single cause for a SUD but rather, a combination of factors can contribute to its development. Self-medication, genetics, peer pressure, curiosity, performance enhancement, and medical use turned misuse can all lead to someone engaging in problem use with substances and even addiction. Another study conducted in 2023 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, showed that 70% of people who sought out treatment for substance abuse/misuse reported improvements to their overall health and functioning within the first year of treatment. There are several available options for treatment, including outpatient care, intensive outpatient care, and in-patient care treatment. It is also important to have a collaborative approach when it comes to treatment for a SUD to have the best outcome, which can include medication management, individual therapy, group therapy, peer support, AA/NA meetings, sponsor, and a healthy support system within interpersonal relationships. It's important to remember that addiction is not a moral failing, it's a complex medical condition that can affect anyone. Compassion, understanding, and proper treatment are essential to recovery and can lead to successful outcomes. Some treatment modalities that have shown success in therapy when treating SUD include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Contingency Management (CM), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), as well as a facilitated 12 step program and a trauma focused lens. Whether you're concerned about your own substance use or worried about a loved one, help is available and healing is possible! Call our office at 859.338.0466 to schedule an appointment to work with one of our providers to start your healing journey to recovery. Our current offices are located in Lexington, Frankfort, and Richmond, KY. We have been trusted mental health professionals in Central Kentucky for over 22 years! Articles and Resources: https://drugabusestatistics.org/ https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction-substance-use-disorders/what-is-a-substance-use-disorder https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6175215/ https://www.pyramid-healthcare.com/blog/2019/02/12/self-medication-and-addiction/ https://americanaddictioncenters.org/therapy-treatment
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