Anger Management Class: Anger Management Patterns

Anger management classes are not a one size fits all enterprise. Everyone has a different history, which is why we all have different things that get us angry as my recent posting on anger management triggers explained.I’m proud that my anger management class is planned so that each person who takes it will get a different message from it depending upon their situation.

One of the earliest goals of my anger management class is to help you recognize that you have a characteristic way of expressing your anger that may be different from other people’s way of acting out.

In the 15 or so years that I have been working with people with anger management problems I've noticed that the way people express their anger generally falls into 6 different types - Lets take a quick look at each one of these.

Mr. or Ms. Dynamite can go off at any minute and they can be quite unpredictably quick tempered. These people are often also the nicest people you will ever meet. The emotional part of their brain is very sensitive which means they can be very caring, but also very prone to eruptions.

The Stuffer type is someone who doesn't say anything when initially angered. They stuff and stuff until they blow.

I Can’t Take it Out on You, So I Will Let Someone Else Have It style is just as it sounds. They are afraid of getting angry at an authority figure and end up taking it out on someone they feel to be weaker or less likely to stand up to them.

The Grumpy Grizzly type is someone who is very sensitive and seems constantly crabby.

The Inquisitor pattern is someone who will just keep hitting you with inquiry after inquiry in an attempt to find a hole in your side so that they can prove you wrong.

The Bully pattern is someone who is just what they name implies, they bully you into submission when angry and can become physically aggressive.

Any of these sound familiar to you? See yourself in anyone of these descriptions?