Types of Anger: 12 Most Common Types of Anger

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It goes without saying that, anger is one of those emotions that can be destructive and lead to various problems if it goes unnoticed. Although it can be tough sometimes, with the various types of anger around, recognizing when anger first occurs, is a key factor in determining what to do when it rears its ugly head.

Here are 12 of the most common kinds of anger. See if you recognize any of them.

  • Behavioral Anger – This type of anger usually describes someone who is aggressive towards whatever triggered their anger… this can be another person. This can be someone who always seems to act out, or is troublesome. Sometimes the outcome is physical abuse or attacks against others.
  • Passive Anger – People who use sarcasm or mockery as a way to hide their feelings, typically express this form of anger. They tend to avoid confrontations with people or situations.
  • Verbal Anger – Anger that’s expressed mostly through words and not actions. Verbal abuse is used to criticize and insult people (put them down) and complain.
  • Constructive Anger – This type of anger is a key factor in driving people to want to join movements and groups. It’s the feeling of being fed up with how things are going, and the need to make a positive change.
  • Self-inflicted Anger – Anger that translates in causing harm to one’s own body. People who use this type of anger are acting out by punishing themselves for something they’ve done wrong. Some examples include starvation, cutting, and overeating.
  • Volatile Anger – This form of anger occurs in varying degrees… it comes and goes. It can just appear out of nowhere, or build into something bigger. It can either explode or go unnoticed. It could even be expressed verbally or physically.
  • Chronic Anger – Ever come across someone that’s seemingly angry for no reason, or mad all the time? More than likely, they were exhibiting this type of anger. People with chronic anger are just mad in general.
  • Judgmental Anger – Putting other people down and making them feel bad about themselves, or abilities, is a form of judgmental anger. This person expresses their feelings by making those around them feel worthless.
  • Overwhelmed Anger – This person relieves stress by shouting, and flying off the handle, when they can’t take situations and things that are happening around them, anymore. When things are just too overwhelming… which is why it’s called ‘overwhelmed anger’.
  • Retaliatory Anger – This is probably one of the most common, of the bunch. Retaliatory anger usually occurs as a direct response to someone else lashing out at you… has that happened to you once or twice ? ;-)
  • Paranoid Anger – This anger comes about when someone feels jealousy towards others, because they feel other people have or want to take what’s rightfully theirs. Or they may act out because they feel intimidated by others.
  • Deliberate Anger – Using anger to gain power over a situation or person. A person expressing this form of anger may not start out angry, but will get angry when something does not turn out the way they wanted. Or, someone doesn’t see eye to eye with something they planned.

These are the most common types of anger. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, being aware of anger when it first appears is one of the first steps to master in order to make different choices in how to respond to it.

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23 thoughts on “Types of Anger: 12 Most Common Types of Anger”

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  5. I am a very volatile person. My anger builds up all the time. More than half of the time I can’t concentrate on anything else. It takes over my brain. Sometimes I just get so caught up in my own little anger bubble, that I forget what I was angry about in the first place, but my anger is usually mixed with other feelings…like disgusted or neglected or overwhelmed or panic. It’s usually about people because I have been betrayed a lot by my old friends. And it’s kind of lonely without anyone there to play with or talk to. But I’m naturally a very violent person, I just don’t attack unless I feel the need to lash out…

  7. My ex wife has anger, it went toward me first then one of the children, who was not good in school. She also stole money from my accounts that is fraud, that must be some form of anger too. But the interesting part here is the Ramsey county government consultant for our case, does not seem to care, and my wife a few years after the divorce admitted her anger to the consultant, which is in writng! Apparently men have anger but women don’t in Ramsey County

  8. Pingback: Passive Aggressive Anger Explained | Anger Management Tips and Strategies | AngerDefense.com

  9. I usually have realiatory anger because when people lash out at me i become angry. Especially with my parents they drive me to the extents of my anger.

  10. I usually use passive or verbal anger. I’ve been doing good on not using my anger, but sometimes it gets the best of me, and i have a baby boy and fiancee. So i get agrivated easialy and i want to control it but dont kno how.

  11. Hi Tyler,

    Thanks for commenting. Acknowledging that you have issues with anger is an important step… congratulations for that.

    Once you’re aware of it, then it makes it a bit easier for you to pay attention to the signs that you’re getting angry so you can choose how to respond to it (if you respond at all).

    Some signs that you’re about to get angry are: it may start getting hotter, you might start sweating, get fidgety, etc. You’ll start noticing these things.

    Then when you know you’re either angry or getting angry, you can walk out of the room to cool off, or take in some slow deep breathes (while counting to ten in your head), until you calm down.

    There are more things you can do, but that should get you started. Whatever anger management techniques you choose to do, just be sure you continue to practice them. That way you can replace your old habits with new productive ones.

    Good luck.

  12. hi,am 22yrs,a Nigerian, i get angry for almost half of the day because i am unable to pay my school fees,buy text books and feed very well, though i know that my parents are poor but my feelings is now disturbing my studies and i now hate people around me, what do i do?

  13. Hi Chris,

    Projecting your anger onto other people won’t make things better. In fact, it’ll just make you and those around you feel miserable. We all have our share of ups and downs, and obstacles to deal with, but it’s how we choose to respond to them that will either break us or help us to move forward.

    It’s your choice… do you want to continue to focus on the “lack” of finances and feel bad about it? Or, do you choose to look for solutions that can help you to feel better? Hint: focusing on things in your life that you “have and appreciate” can take your mind off of the things that you don’t have. Not only that, but it can also help you to see opportunities & solutions that may be right in front of you.

    Maybe it’s an odd job here and there that you can perform to help pay for food or your studies. Maybe you have a skill that can be used in exchange for a text book. You typed your comment, maybe you can teach someone how to use a computer for a small payment. Bottom line is, solutions are around you, whether you’re aware of it or not. Your anger is just an indicator that you want something different. Don’t let it grow into anything more than that.

    Take care.

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  15. Hello,

    I experience all kinds of anger. Some not as bad as most, but here resently I feel destructive and emplosive. I am only 16 years of age. My mother had custudy for 6 years tell Children Services got involved causing my father to take my brother and me with him. That same day my mother disowned me and made thousands working. I am living in a trailer but it is very decorative. My father is ex military and i think he is threatened by my self respect causing him to be a ass. Life in general blows, addict for 5 years, try to quit but not very affective. I drown my past of caring for my brother for 9 years in alcohol. My dad had a crazy girlfriend who did nothin but drank and smoked while he left us there with her, he stayed out as much as possible doing who knows what. I learned to take care of my brother and myself very quickly. Cooking and cleaning came natural but we moved constantly. i went from 4 states 43 schools and i dont know how many theropists when i turned 11. I know what generates my anger, I just need to know how to control it before I begin to black out again.. Things get hazey, blood is pumpin infact i can feel the addrenaling before my eyes go black. I am trying to be at peace. Please help me
    Sencerly,

    Branden

  16. I recorginze passive anger in me. Though I get angry quickly I hadly express it directly becouse I dont like confronting people. How do I control this type of anger.

  17. I have overwhelming anger. When I can’t deal with a situation, I become a raging lunatic and I just want to quit everything. It has and is destroying my marriage.

  18. @Jenn
    i have the same problem here is how i deal with it i stay alone and i listen music or i cry or i just pray it helps . try it

  19. I never get angry as I understand that ANGER is the result of NOT FINDING SOLUTION TO ANY PROBLEM, U Get frustration if things donot go as U want . The reality is that things shall not move in the DIRECTION in which you want them to move..Take an example of CRICKET- the bats man hits the ball but it may not go in the direction in which he intended it.
    We can only try but we shall not be successful in all our trials. EVEN THE TOP SUCCESSFUL people have been a FAILURE at one time or the other.
    It is said that MAN PURPOSES AND GOD DISPOSES.

  20. I get angry a lot but mainly when I feel misunderstood or not listened to. I didn’t realize I had an anger problem until I got in serious relationship. I’ve always been a fun goofy person but I’ve changed and can’t seem to change back. I don’t yell I lower my voice my face expressions have been described as devilish and I begin to feel my hands and feet tingle or go numb. My anger scares me at times I visualize actions but I sit extremely still or walk without a destination. I know I need help bit dont know where to start.

  21. I have a few of those types of anger – behavioral, passive, constructive, self-inflicted, judgmental, chronic, overwhelmed, and deliberate. Most of the time I use self-inflicted anger but sometimes I sway into overwhelmed. The type of anger I use the least is judgmental, since I am bad at making others feel bad but I am good at making myself feel bad about things. I try not to get angry at other people because getting angry spreads hate and dissension within groups. And if someone knows they have caused someone else to become angry they themselves have the potential to become guilty, shameful, and haughty – three things which can come between someone and a relationship. So I seek to reduce my anger as much as possible.

    The hard thing is I’m not in school right now and I don’t have a car, so getting out and doing things is out of the question. For now I online shop with my stipend money and go out and exercise really early in the morning when nobody is up yet. I find these things combined relieve me of stress and anxiety.