Traditional
intervention/treatment programs for problem anger are rapidly becoming
obsolete. The Group For The Advancement Of Psychiatry has played a major role
in officially denying that anger is an illness. The most recent edition of The
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual of Nervous And Mental Disorders does not
define anger as an illness.
http://www.dsm5.org/about/pages/default.aspx
The American
Psychiatric Association maintains that anger
is a normal human emotion. Anger is considered a
problem when it is too intense, occurs too frequently, lasts too long, impacts
health, destroys work or school relationships or damages interpersonal relationships.
In contrast, The American Psychological Association has fought unsuccessfully
for over forty years to have anger defined as a DSM diagnosable illness
requiring counseling, psychotherapy or psychotropic medication treatment.
Since anger is not an
illness, it is not responsive to formal mental health treatment. Interventions
that can improve a clients’ over all competence in emotional
intelligence are becoming the most sort after
interventions for impulse control in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
The Joint Commission
On The Accreditation Of Healthcare Organizations in its’ Sentinel Alert (2008),
announced that all health care organizations in the U.S. must have written
policy regarding intervention for “disruptive physicians” whose
anger risks patient safety.
http://www.amednews.com/article/20080818/profession/308189974/2/
The most popular and
most successful intervention model for “disruptive physicians” is a non-
psychiatric model developed by Anderson & Anderson, APC. This intervention
uses Emotional Intelligence Pre and Post Assessments as well as client
workbooks to teach a wide range of emotional intelligence concepts such as
self-awareness, self-control, social awareness, empathy, problem solving and
emotional expression, along with relationship management.
Emotional
Intelligence Coaching for Impulse Control is a non-psychopathological
intervention that does not have the stigma that is associated with mental
health treatment.
http://andersonservices.com/services/eqi/how-it-works/
Anger management has
always been a problem in substance abuse treatment as well as sobriety for clients
who are struggling to maintain sobriety. The California Department of
Rehabilitation has approved this training for clients who wish a career in
providing this service for others. In addition, the U.S. Department of Veterans’
Affairs has approved this training for Clinical Social Workers.
http://andersonservices.blogspot.com
The collaboration
between Substance Abuse Organizations and Anderson & Anderson, APC will
likely hastened the recognition of emotional intelligence/impulse control in
all substance abuse programs.
George Anderson, MSW, BCD,
CAMF
