Depression is more than just sadness: A case of excessive anger and its management in depression

Abstract

People with depressive illness often have symptoms of overt or suppressed anger. Those with anger traits face exaggerated problem during symptomatic period of depression. Pharmacological management helps in control of depressive and anxiety symptoms, but rarely address anger symptoms. Non-pharmacological management like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in depression as well as in anger management, but is not used frequently in anger associated or exacerbated by depression. We present the case of a 27-year-old male suffering from moderate depressive episode with associated anger outburst. He underwent CBT, which resulted in a significant decrease in anger symptoms as well as in severity of depression.