Signs You Need Anger Management Therapy in Singapore

Imagine this: You’re stuck in morning traffic and are late for work. Just when you think the road is clearing, a sports car cuts in front of you, overtaking and throwing you off. 

How would you react? If you answered ‘I’d feel angry’, you’re only human! 

Anger is our inherent reaction to unfairness, hurt, pain, deceit, disrespect and invalidation. It’s a normal and useful emotion as long as it’s not too frequent, overwhelming or starting to have long-lasting effects.

For some of us, keeping anger in check can be a challenge. Anger management therapy in Singapore offers structured frameworks and empathetic support to manage anger effectively.

But it’s not always easy to spot the early signs of anger issues. If you’re unsure about whether you need anger management therapy and what red flags to look for, this blog is just for you.

Join us as we explore what anger issues are, when to seek anger therapy in Singapore and the numerous ways in which anger management therapy can help you.

What are Anger Issues?

Before discussing what anger issues mean, let’s take a look at the definition of anger itself. Here’s how the APA Dictionary of Psychology defines anger:

“n. an emotion characterised by tension and hostility arising from frustration, real or imagined injury by another, or perceived injustice.”

A 2016 study found that “dysfunctional levels of anger are associated robustly with a variety of adverse mental and physical health consequences as well as interpersonal conflict and aggression”.

Anger is considered an ‘issue’ when it reaches such dysfunctional levels, is disproportionate to the situation and starts affecting a person’s physical health, mental health and relationships.

When to Seek Anger Therapy in Singapore: 5 Signs to Look Out For

Occasional flashes of anger every now and then don’t mean you need anger management therapy. In fact, they’re healthy when under control.

But if anger keeps showing up in ways that come in the way of your physical health, mental wellness, or relationships, it may be time to seek anger management therapy in Singapore. Here are some common signs to be wary of:

1) You Deal with Frequent or Disproportionate Outbursts

Everyone loses their temper occasionally, but if your reactions are often out of proportion to the situation, this could be a red flag that you may benefit from anger management counselling. 

Things like constant yelling, slamming doors, or snapping at minor inconveniences show that anger is controlling you rather than the other way around.

In addition to these, unintentional and uncontrollable acts of violence and microaggressions are also a huge sign of anger issues. These can include:

• Physical aggression: hitting, throwing objects, or punching walls when angry.
• Verbal aggression: shouting, insulting, or making hurtful remarks you later regret.
• Passive aggression: giving the silent treatment, sarcastic comments, or subtle digs.
• Microaggressions: making repeated dismissive remarks, snapping at someone for minor mistakes, eye-rolling, or belittling comments toward others without realising the harm caused.

What this can look like:

• Imagine your partner unintentionally causes you to spill your coffee. Instead of a short bit of exasperation and anger and moving on, you find yourself shouting at your partner, blaming them and demanding that they clean it.

• The intensity of your response doesn’t match what happened.

2) Your Anger Lasts for Too Long or Your Mood Swings Drastically

Healthy anger tends to rise, get expressed, and then fade away. However, if your anger lingers for hours or you keep replaying situations in your head, it may point to deep-seated anger issues. Prolonged anger often comes with drastic mood swings, making it harder to return to a calm state of mind.

The good news is that anger management therapists can help you understand your triggers and teach you strategies like emotional regulation to manage your anger.

What this can look like:

• You argue with a colleague in the morning, and even though the issue was resolved, you’re still fuming late into the night. The anger follows you home, spoiling your dinner with family.

3) Your Relationships are Affected 

Anger issues can gradually start to creep into various areas of your life, particularly your relationships. 

If you notice this happening, it is a strong indication that it may be time for anger management therapy.

When you take out your anger on loved ones frequently, they start withdrawing or walking on eggshells around you. Over time, it can strain your bonds with friends, partners, children, and even colleagues.

Another closely related and rather apparent red flag is when people close to you have suggested you try counselling or other forms of help to manage your anger.

What this can look like:

• Whenever your child makes small mistakes, such as spilling juice, leaving toys out, or forgetting homework, you often snap or shout excessively.

• With time, these repeated reactions make them fearful of you, straining the parent-child bond and reducing their trust in sharing things with you.

Also read: How to Control Anger in a Relationship

4) You Often Regret Things You Say or Do When Angry

If you regularly find yourself apologising for or deeply regretting words or actions you didn’t mean to do, it may be a sign you’re losing control in the heat of the moment. 

Regret can chip away at self-esteem and leave lasting scars in relationships. Therapy in Singapore can help you control and manage your anger better.

Anger issues can make you blind to the consequences of your actions in the moment, allowing you to think back only when the fog has cleared (and by then it’s often too late).

What this can look like:

• During a family dinner, you have a minor disagreement with your sister. You end up criticising her very harshly, leading to her leaving abruptly.

• Later, you feel extremely guilty and embarrassed, but the damage to the relationship has already been done and will take lots of work to undo.

5) You Use Unhealthy Mechanisms to Cope with Anger

Anger issues are not easy to face, accept and work on. Due to this, many turn to bottling up their anger, and use unhealthy coping mechanisms such as:

• Alcohol
• Drugs
• Overeating
• Overworking
• Excess screen time

These behaviours may numb the feeling temporarily, but often make the underlying issue worse by not allowing you to address it properly. 

Anger management therapists can help you learn to replace such unhealthy coping mechanisms with healthy coping strategies.

What this can look like:

• After a rather stressful meeting at work, you’re left feeling angry at your boss for an unfair callout.

• Instead of addressing your frustration, you go home and down several drinks, trying to forget what happened. The next morning, the anger is still there, now bundled with a hangover and guilt.

Conclusion

Anger is a natural human emotion, but if you’ve been struggling with any of the signs discussed in this blog, remember that you’re not alone.

Help is just one click away. Anger management therapy in Singapore has helped thousands of Singaporeans understand and manage their anger issues.

At Talk Your Heart Out (TYHO), our experienced Therapists are here to help you through this journey. Get started today. 💜

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) I need help with frequent emotional outbursts. Will anger management therapy in Singapore help me?

Yes, anger management therapy can be highly effective if you’re looking for help with frequent emotional outbursts. A trained therapist in Singapore can help you:

• Identify the triggers behind your anger
• Learn practical techniques to manage your reactions in the moment
• Build healthier ways of communicating, so that anger doesn’t damage your relationships

Over time, anger management counselling can help you gain more control over your emotions and feel less taken over by anger.

If you're looking for self-help options in addition to professional support, you can consider picking up anger management books.

2) How soon can I expect to see results with my anger issues after seeking anger management therapy in Singapore?

As with any type of therapy, the timeline for progress in anger management therapy varies depending on factors like:

• The intensity of your anger issues
• How long you’ve been dealing with anger issues
• Practising coping strategies outside sessions
• Frequency of anger management sessions

Anger management therapy provides several benefits both in the short-term and long-term. Many people notice small improvements (like fewer outbursts) within a few weeks of consistent therapy. However, for deeper, long-term change, it may take a few or more months of therapy.

Anger management is akin to building a new skill. It does take practice, but each step you take can help reduce the grip anger has on your life.

3) I’m confused about when to seek anger therapy. Should my anger issues be really bad for me to reach out for help?

Not at all. You don’t need to wait until your anger causes severe damage to your health, career, or relationships before seeking help for anger management. We encourage you to consider reaching out if you:

• Find yourself triggered easily and snapping or shouting often when angry
• Notice people around you becoming distant or cautious with you
• Experience blind anger during outbursts, but feel regret or guilt afterwards
• Struggle to calm down even after minor triggers

Seeking anger management therapy early can prevent anger from escalating into something bigger and make it easier to build healthier coping strategies before things start to spiral.