10 Things to Know About an Angry Brain

 

I recently had the pleasure of attending a full day workshop entitled “Healing the Angry Brain” presented by Dr. Ron Potter-Efron from Wisconsin. He informed and entertained a large group of mental health professionals about his research and clinical experiences of working with clients dealing with significant anger, hostility, aggression and rage issues.He emphasized that there is not a one size fits all approach to treatment as each person’s anger experience is unique. One part of his presentation was titled “10 Things to Know About the Angry Brain”:

1. Think of the brain as a survival machine and anger as a survival enhancing emotion.
2. Much anger is defensive and protective – derived from and maintained by perceived threats.
3. A core sense of safety is ultimately the best anger inhibitor.
4. Anger is usually turned on unconsciously but may be turned off consciously.
5. People with angry brains often have: a) very distorted or selective memories b) inaccurate interpretations of the present c) unrealistic expectations about the future – all of which trigger defensiveness and anger.
6. The principles of neuroplasticity apply to the angry brain.
7. People with angry brains are continually training themselves to become more angry.
8. Positive interactive circuits must be developed to replace negative ones.
9. Changing the angry brain involves people changing their lives, not just their anger.
10. Anger is a social experience and must be treated in the context of a person’s entire life.

Ron went on to present a number of therapeutic approaches to assist clients and he finished with this optimistic summary:

• angry people have angry brains
• angry people can change their brains
• doing so greatly improves their lives
• so the likelihood for relapse to anger is relatively low
• we can help people change their angry brains

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