Intervention Goals for Individual Male Anger Management

For men with anger problems, anger management goals can help them refocus their negative energy and develop healthy coping skills. It can also help them avoid jail time or broken relationships in the event of a serious outburst. Men should focus on several individual goals during anger management treatment to ensure the best possible success.

Learn to Identify Emotions

• Anger is known as a secondary emotion, meaning it is hiding or covering up some deeper, more intense feeling. Men are notorious for avoiding feelings, so helping men to identify emotions is a core goal of effective anger management treatment. Men who can identify the emotion fueling their anger, such as jealously, depression or fear, can start to work on the root cause of the anger. Working on the root cause of anger, rather than just treating the surface, will help to eliminate future angry outbursts. Men who can identify emotions will be more likely to identify and discuss the root cause of their anger, such as abuse.

Learn to Identify Triggers

• Triggers for anger are all around men, and most are out of their control. A trigger is anything that can set off an angry reaction. For example, a long wait at the doctor's office, being called a nasty name or losing a bet are all triggers for anger. Many men struggle to identify the triggers for their anger, believing that anger "just happens". Helping men to understand anger does not just happen and is triggered by something is a second step in effective treatment. Having men write down everything that makes them angry can assist in the identification of triggers.

Learn to Identify Coping Skills

• Many men already have negative coping skills for anger, such as yelling or fighting. However, the development of positive coping skills is essential for success in anger management treatment. Men need to learn it is okay to talk about a situation that made them angry, instead of stuffing it inside -- leading to outbursts -- or taking it out on other people. Other positive coping skills include engaging in physical activities, such as sports, taking a walk or using deep breathing exercises to calm down.

Develop a Support System

• Men need help and support in overcoming anger problems. The development of a strong support system can help a man keep his anger in check, and a support system can remind him of coping skills when times get tough. Men should be able to identify at least one person they can turn to during times of anger who can help them if necessary. The more people a man can have to support him during hard times, the better his chance for anger success.