Serious Anger Issues

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I have always had serious trouble with anger issues, but it's become even worse recently. I constantly sink into mindless rages over the smallest things and then I say hurtful things to those I love. I fully realize that what I am doing is wrong and it worries me to think that I'm hurting my family. I have considered what my options are for an escape to give them a chance to recuperate, but short of turning myself in to the police on charges of abuse I can't think of anything. I don't want to turn myself in because I also have plenty of very pleasant times with my family and the idea of Juvenile Hall or Prison scares the s**t out of me. I can't go to my Dad's house to wait out these episodes because I have no transport and they're too common. I've spoken with a psychologist about this, but he just tells me that I need to recognize the anger and defuse myself. That would be all well and good if I didn't sink into these rages so quickly. Does anyone have advice for controlling anger and stopping the rage before it overtakes me? I'm running out of options and I don't want to hurt my family any more.

Talk to your family. Apologise beforehand. Tell them to leave you alone if you get angry. If no one is there to offend, you can calm down on your own.

Thank you so much for the advice. I never thought to ask them to leave me alone when I get angry. If they just isolate when I start to get angry I might cool down quicker. I plan to apologize to my family, but I want to wait until I have some progress towards stopping the behavior so the apology will mean that much more.

The meaning of the apology is not dependent on whether or not you have been making progress, it is dependent on you wanting to make progress. I would simply apologise to them at the same time you're telling them to leave you alone when you get angry. I'm sure they will understand.

Look into your diet also. I'm not going to go into specifics except for my own experiences. Anti-histamines make me irritable. Is there something you're eating that might be making you irritable right after?

Just a thought. It may be nothing, but it's worth looking into.

I have always had anger issues. Lately they have been bad and I am always thinking angry thoughts. I have cut myself off from everyone I know so I am not being angry with them.

Often I have managed to channel the anger into something creative like writing. But I can't always manage that. It is hard to accept that closing my eyes and counting to ten will help either.

The world is making me angry at the moment. The stupid bankers, the pointless wars we are engaged in, our power hungry lying politicians. Sometimes its hard to block it out.

Have you thought about taking up an instrument?

Whenever I'm angry, I vent out my frustrations by playing guitar or piano.