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Hi Wise-Ass. I need your advice badly. I have anger management issues. Now, I'm dating this guy and he wants us to be in a full-blown relationship. He doesn't know about this issue of mine but I'm afraid he would eventually find out. I really like him but I know he would get turned off by this. What can I do?

Good for you. You recognize and admit your problem, and you want to do something about it. As simple as this might seem, many people don't have the self-awareness and courage to do it, so kudos to you.

Yes, you need to deal with this problem, but not because you're about to get serious with a guy. You need to do it for yourself. Even if you weren't dating anyone, having so little control over your anger is no way to go through life. You deserve to be happy. You are right, though, when you say that he will notice soon enough, and that it will be a turn-off.

Anger itself is not a bad thing, of course. Some anger is warranted and necessary, and must be expressed. The problems come when we feel anger too intensely, too often, or express it in ways that are destructive to ourselves and others. You are wise to realize that uncontrolled anger will cause problems in your relationships. Chances are it already has.

What can you do? Step one is recognizing the problem, which you've already done. Step two, in my opinion, is to get to the root of your anger issues, which likely means counseling. Sure, there are techniques you can try on your own, like counting to ten or waiting until you are calm to discuss a problem, but I don't think those are the solutions for the hard-core rageaholic. Anger is a secondary emotion, activated by things like rejection, humiliation, fear, and anxiety, so the solution is to find out what you are feeling that causes the anger. For that, I would suggest the help of a professional.

If individual therapy isn't possible or doesn't appeal to you, you could try anger management courses, which are available in most major cities and even online, or simply start with a good book on anger (see list below) and decide where to go from there.

Good luck, and again, kudos to you for recognizing the problem and wanting to fix it.

Books on anger management:

The Anger Trap

Anger Management For Dummies

The Dance Of Anger: A Woman's Guide To Changing The Patterns Of Intimate Relationships

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