Treatment for anger problems

If anger keeps causing trouble even after you have tried to handle it on your own, treatment can help. Anger management therapy has been tested in many studies. Overall, people who took part had less anger than people who did not.¹

This page explains what anger management therapy involves and how well it works. It also covers DBT skills, couples therapy, programs for veterans, where medicines fit, and how to find help.

What is anger management therapy?

Most anger treatment is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT looks at how thoughts, feelings, body reactions and actions affect each other. In anger treatment, you learn to:²

• Track your anger with an "anger meter" and notice your triggers and warning signs
• Calm your body with breathing and muscle relaxation
• Change angry thinking, such as "should" and "must" rules and hostile self-talk
• Communicate assertively instead of aggressively
• Resolve conflicts step by step
• Build an anger control plan with tools for the moment and for the long run

Some programs also look at how your family and past experiences shaped the way you handle anger.² You practice new skills between sessions, so change carries over into daily life.

What a typical program looks like

A widely used SAMHSA program runs for 12 weekly group sessions of 90 minutes, with about 5 to 10 people in each group. It can also be used one-on-one.² Each session starts with a check-in, and members practice a new skill between sessions.²

How well does it work?

Overall. A 2009 review combined 96 studies of adults. It found that talk therapy for anger works moderately well. Programs that combined several approaches did better than some single approaches. More sessions were linked with better results, and following a written program manual may have helped too. The author suggested at least eight sessions.¹

The same review described an earlier analysis that found CBT reduced anger in about 3 out of 4 cases.¹

How long it takes. The American Psychological Association says that with counseling, a very angry person can often move toward a middle range of anger in about 8 to 10 weeks.³

Where it works best. In the 2009 review, programs in community settings and colleges did better than programs in prisons and hospitals.¹ Most studies were done in the U.S., often with college students, so results may differ for other groups.¹

One-on-one or group?

Both can work. A group lets you practice skills with others, hear how they handle similar problems, and get feedback. It often costs less. One-on-one therapy offers more privacy and more time on your own concerns, and it may be better if anger is tangled up with trauma, depression or another condition.

Medicare Part B covers both individual and group psychotherapy from many kinds of licensed professionals.¹¹ Ask which format a program offers and how long it runs.

DBT skills

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of CBT first built for people with borderline personality disorder who self-harm.⁴ It teaches skills for staying present, getting through a crisis, managing emotions and handling relationships.

A review of 21 studies looked at DBT for anger and aggression. Eight studies found that DBT-based treatments significantly reduced anger or aggression, and randomized trials showed similar results. Many programs were changed to fit specific groups.⁴ DBT may be a good fit if your anger comes with strong mood swings or impulsive behavior. Explore our DBT skills, including emotion regulation and distress tolerance.

Treating what lies underneath

Sometimes anger is one part of a bigger picture. Treating the main condition is part of good care.

• Intermittent explosive disorder (IED). A 2025 review included 12 randomized trials. Talk therapy, especially CBT, reduced aggression and helped more people reach full remission (no longer having symptoms).⁵ See When anger is a disorder.
• PTSD. When anger follows trauma, treating PTSD is an important step. See Therapy for PTSD.
• Depression and anxiety. See Treatment for depression and Treatment for anxiety.
• ADHD. See ADHD therapy and coaching.
• Alcohol and drug use. SAMHSA's anger program was designed for people in substance use and mental health treatment.² See Treatment for substance use.

Couples and family therapy

Sometimes anger strains a marriage or family, but no one is afraid of anyone. Then couples or family therapy can help people learn to talk, listen and solve problems together. Medicare covers family counseling when its main purpose is to help with your treatment.¹¹

Couples therapy is not recommended when one partner is abusive. Abuse is not a relationship problem that two people share. What a partner says in a session can be used against them at home, and a therapist may not spot the abuse.⁹ In that case, the person who is abusive needs a program built for that, and the partner who is being hurt needs support and safety planning.

When anger involves abuse

Anger management is often a poor fit for someone who abuses a partner. If anger were the main problem, it would show up with friends, coworkers and others too, not mostly at a partner. Abuse grows out of a wish for power and control.⁸

Abuser intervention programs (sometimes called batterer intervention programs) focus on accountability, the partner's safety, and changing beliefs about control. They range from a weekend to 52 weekly meetings, often in groups of 8 to 10.⁸ Not every area has one. The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 offers confidential, judgment-free support.⁹ See Helping someone with an anger problem.

Programs for veterans

The VA offers anger management in group and individual formats. Ask your VA health care provider for a referral.⁷

The VA also offers a free online course called AIMS (Anger & Irritability Management Skills). It was designed for veterans but is open to anyone. It is based on SAMHSA's anger management program and teaches CBT skills.⁶ Think of it as a support, not a replacement for care.

Video visits are an option too. In a randomized trial of veterans with PTSD, anger management by video worked about as well as meeting in person.² See PTSD in older adults and veterans and veterans benefits.

Where medicines fit

There is no pill that teaches anger skills. Talk therapy is the main treatment. In the 2025 review of treatments for IED, talk therapy did better than medicine at reducing aggression, but some medicines, such as fluoxetine (an antidepressant), helped with irritability.⁵

Medicine may be part of the plan when anger is linked to another condition, such as depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD or psychosis. Treating that condition can ease irritability too.

In dementia, the FDA has approved medicine for agitation linked to Alzheimer's disease. In April 2026, it approved the first such medicine that is not an antipsychotic.¹⁰ See Medicines for agitation in dementia.

Every medicine has possible side effects, and some interact with alcohol or other drugs. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing anything.

How to find help

• Start with your primary care doctor. They can check for health problems, review your medicines and refer you.
• Look for a licensed professional, such as a psychologist, clinical social worker, counselor or marriage and family therapist. Medicare covers therapy from all of these.¹¹
• Ask how they treat anger. The APA suggests asking about their approach and avoiding programs that only encourage you to express feelings without teaching skills.³
• Search for programs near you at FindTreatment.gov, SAMHSA's confidential site for mental health and substance use treatment.¹²
• Veterans can ask their VA provider or use the free AIMS course.^6,7
• Check costs. With Original Medicare, you usually pay 20% of the approved amount after the Part B deductible.¹¹ See paying for therapy and finding a therapist.

Questions to ask:

• Do you use a CBT-based anger program? How many sessions?
• Is it one-on-one, group, or both? Can I join by video?
• Will you also look at sleep, alcohol, stress or other conditions?
• How will we know if it is working?

Common questions

Are online or court-ordered anger classes the same as therapy?

Not always. Short classes may teach some skills, but the research favors longer programs, with at least eight sessions, that follow a manual.¹ Ask what a class covers and who leads it.

Will I have to talk about my childhood?

Most anger programs focus on skills for today. Some include a session or two on how your family shaped the way you handle anger.²

Can older adults benefit?

Yes. Anger skills can be learned at any age. A good therapist can adjust a program to fit hearing, memory or mobility needs, and video visits can help if travel is hard. See Anger and irritability in later life.

When to get help now

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.