All of this writing I have been doing about male anger inspired a reader to ask me a very good question. “Is there any medical treatment available for men who are chronically angry?”
This is an interesting question as there are many women out there who continue to stay with a guy even if he is a beater or even just a woman like me who has had to reluctantly drop a guy she really likes because he can’t handle himself.
So are there magic bullets out there that can handle this? It depends if the person has a treatable disorder that has anger as a symptom. Some of the most common of these disorders are Attention Deficit Disorder, addiction and withdrawal and a plethora of psychological disorders including manic depression, post-partum depression and personality disorders.
Usually aggression is part of any disease or disorder that causes a mood disorder. Such individuals become angry because they have a problem that causes them to overreact to stimuli. Damaged nerves or an overproduction of certain chemicals in the body could cause this. In these cases it is usually medications that are prescribed by doctors.
Sexual frustration is also associated with aggression, especially amongst adolescents. Interaction with a female with whom an adult male is infatuated may precipitate aggression. Usually psychological counseling is recommended for individuals who suffer from aggression.
When medication is prescribed for anger it is usually a psychotropic. The choice of medication for treatment of aggression depends on what the underlying symptoms are. For instance, if the child or adolescent has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the aggression stems from impulsive behavior, then the use of stimulants such as Ritalin or Adderall might help.
If the angry emotional reaction behavior is marked by hyperarousal then sedative drugs such as clonidine or guanfacine (Tenex), which decrease something called norepinephrine levels. This have an overall calming effect.
If anxiety is the main problem and aggression occurs in situations which escalate anxiety, treatment with a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil or Celexa. These drugs decrease anxiety, aggression, obsessive/compulsive behavior and smooth out irritability or minor mood fluctuations
If more severe mood instability occurs in association with aggression, then doctors and psychiatrists usually prescribe a mood stabilizer Anticonvulsant agents such as Tegretol, Depakene or Depakote are very effective mood stabilizers, but they are hard on the liver. Lithium is another commonly prescribed mood stabilizer, especially for manic depressives who are irritable and hyperstimulated in the manic phase of the disease.
If none of the above seems to work, the angry and aggressive individual may be prescribed on of the many T new atypical antipsychotic agents such as Seroquel or Topmax. Not sure I vouch for any of this. I think me should just control themselves.