Anger and Addiction Recovery

Everyone feels angry at times, although some people are angry much more often than others. Anger itself isn’t the problem since it’s a natural emotion. Problems can arise from how a person chooses to express anger. When someone doesn’t have healthy outlets for negative emotions, they may turn to unhealthy habits, such as drug and alcohol abuse. People with anger management issues will benefit from an anger and addiction recovery plan as part of their addiction treatment.

At Beaches Recovery, our team of counselors and therapists are familiar with treating anger issues. We understand how emotional issues and other mental health issues like mood disorders can lead individuals to a substance use disorder. We provide anger management therapy and a wide range of therapeutic services to address co-occurring disorders (when substance use disorder is accompanied by a mental health issue) through our dual diagnosis treatment program.

What Happens When You Can’t Manage Negative Emotions?

It’s not uncommon for people who abuse drugs and alcohol to have mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. Problems with anger management are frequent as well. People may use drugs and alcohol to numb their feelings instead of acknowledging them. This is a form of self-medicating. Usually, individuals don’t realize they have an underlying mental health condition like anxiety, trauma, or depression. However, they believe drugs or alcohol make them feel momentarily better, so they continue to use and abuse them. Unfortunately, this only masks the underlying condition and greatly increases the risk of developing a dependency or addiction.

When someone has issues controlling anger or expressing it healthily, they may use drugs and alcohol to cope. The problem is, substance abuse often makes mental health issues worse. As the mood becomes darker, drug use increases, increasing the chance of drug or alcohol dependence.

Working on Anger and Addiction Recovery

Deciding to enter rehab is a huge step. Someone with anger management issues may finally be able to get the help they need. The goal isn’t to feel angry again. Instead, addressing anger and addiction recovery shows people that there are more productive ways to handle negative emotions, including anger, rather than drug and alcohol abuse.

During treatment, clients will recognize triggers for their anger. They’ll get to the root issues behind why they get so angry. When they realize they’re feeling angry, they’ll learn to control their emotions instead of allowing them to get out of hand. They’ll use techniques that they find most useful.

These techniques may be different for everyone, so feel free to use what you like best. Instead of lashing out in anger, you can try any of the following:

• Practice breathing exercises
• Go for a walk or do some other exercise.
• Write your feelings down in a journal.
• Give yourself a pep talk.
• Find the humor in the situation.
• Talk to someone in your support system.

Managing anger doesn’t mean repressing it. It’s not healthy to suppress emotions, even ones such as anger. To manage your anger means finding healthy ways to cope with it. And Beaches can do just that with anger and addiction recovery therapies.

Take the First Step Toward Overcoming Addiction

Beaches Recovery provides a range of addiction treatment services in the Jacksonville, Florida, area used for anger and addiction recovery. Our rehab facility offers addiction to alcohol, heroin, cocaine, prescription drugs, and more.

Across all our addiction treatment programs, individuals can take advantage of therapies such as:

• PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) therapy
• Trauma-focused therapy
• Fitness therapy
• Music therapy
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy

See how the skilled professionals at Beaches Recovery can help you through anger and addiction recovery by calling us today at 866.605.0532, or contact us online. We’ll start you on the road to lasting sobriety and a brighter future.