Anger and Rage - Are You Living With a RageAholic?

Usually when someone rage, people get hurt. The individual momentarily experience a false sense of relief or may even feel good momentarily until the next episode of rage. Often the individual feels inadequate and powerless and the act of rage becomes their mask to hide the person who is running scared.

The act of rage produces a surge of adrenaline as well as endorphins released in to the blood stream, creating warm pleasurable feeling similar to cocaine. Hence the repeated acts of rage becomes more of an addiction. Since rageaholics never learned to develop healthy anger in early life, suppressed anger and pain of the past often demands inappropriate release. The act of rage provides relief from physical tension however the underlined pain and anger continue increasing in size. Therefore the act of rage is a pattern of suppression and explosion. The addictive cycle of rage is somewhat similar to drug addiction. Every cycle starts with anxiety, gradually builds up to uncomfortable state, than looking for an evidence to act out. As the person reaches the acting out phase, rageaholics and their loved ones can't avoid the negative consequences of acting out. This follows the act of remorse or guilt which leads to false promises to stop the behavior.

Rageaholics get high on the adrenalin rush they get when they tantrum. It seems to make sense that they rage so they feel powerful, when, in reality, they explode because they feel fear and hurt that they worry will come to the surface if they didn't shove it down by their outbursts.

Typically, the "RAGERS" grow up in families where verbal or physical violence are the norm, so clearly, they have been given no tools or role models to help them learn to manage their emotions appropriately.They are treatable. However, typical anger management programs fail with them because they focus on skills to cope with the rage when it occurs, and not on the basis and fuel for their outbursts. You could also listen my interview with Dr. Erickson about rage and road rage, on the internet radio.

Be well,