Think Before You Freak: What anger really does to you
Are you fast to react? Do you lose your temper quickly and "see red" regularly? Being angry all the time won't only reduce your hopes for better social interactions and put people off, but it can significantly affect your heart and body in negative ways. Sometimes, irreversibly.
Seeing red more often than you would like? Think before you freak. Your heart is at risk. (Credit: psypost.org)
What is anger?
Anger, according to the American Psychological Association, “is an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong”.
Experts at MentalHelp.net suggest that the “average adult gets angry about once a day and annoyed or peeved about three times a day. Other anger management experts suggest that “getting angry fifteen times a day is more likely a realistic average”.
These triggers give the amygdala and hypothalamus – two areas in the brain involved in the processing of emotions – a heavy load of work on a daily basis.
Is anger bad?
Anger itself isn't always negative. If someone infringes on your rights, you need to tell them. It might even be beneficial if expressed healthily and addressed quickly and efficiently. The body's rush of adrenaline and cortisol helps some people think more rationally. Havoc occurs when anger is not properly managed.
An average adult experiences anger at least once daily and becomes annoyed and peeved three to four times per day. (Credit: awarenesscentre.com)
Why do we get angry?
There are many triggers: loss of patience, rudeness, injustice, lack of appreciation, personal worries, or even memories that were traumatic and painful. How we process it depends on our personal history. If not taught to properly express anger at a young age, that anger will build up until unsuppressed outbursts are inevitable. Disorders such as Intermittent Explosive Disorder include sudden, repeated and impulsive bursts of aggressive, violent behavior and verbal outbursts out of proportion to the situation. This could involve breaking or throwing things, domestic abuse, road rage or temper tantrums. The environment, brain chemistry, and genetic and inherited tendencies can also affect a propensity to overreact.
Domestic violence can shatter the lives of your loved ones forever. Seek help. (Credit: pololia/adobestock)
Road rage is a common sign of Intermittent Explosive Disorder. (Credit: americanpsychologyassociation.com)
So how does it affect your body?
Angry outbursts are harmful to your cardiovascular health.
“Losing your temper can trigger a heart attack, even as long as two hours after the anger has subsided” according to a study done in 2014 by researchers from Harvard Medical School. Repressed anger – where you express it indirectly or go to great lengths to control it – is associated with heart disease and stroke, experts warn.
Be good to your heart. This fist size organ is keeping you alive. (Credit: standfordhealth)
It weakens your immune system. Being in a state of rage is exhausting to the body, draining it of its energy, which can cause you to feel sick more frequently.
It exacerbates anxiety and depression. Anger is known to aggravate the symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), a condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable anxiety that interferes with normal daily activities.
It can affect your lungs. Substantial research from the PMC (PubMed Central) shows close links between negative emotions and pulmonary function that can ignite and worsen an existing condition of asthma or emphysema.
This is what you can do:
Admit you are angry. Become aware of your feelings and address them before you lose control.
Your breath is your best tool. Learn how to use it. A set of deep, slow breaths is all you need to begin calming down and recalibrating the outcome.
Your breath is our best tool. Learn how to use it. (Credit: freepik)
Find assertive ways to communicate. Communicate your frustration in a problem-solving manner so solutions can be worked out calmly and prevent future outbursts of the same type.
Choose to change your environment. You can do this by getting up and walking away momentarily until you feel less explosive and more in control.
Activities in nature are a double positive to find your centre again. (Credit: philadelphia.inquirer)
Use humor when appropriate. Using humor as a coping strategy can lighten things up. Restructure your thoughts to get away from the black-and-white, all-or-nothing way of thinking.
Consider learning and practicing mindfulness. The following can help you instill calmness in your life: Meditation, journaling, prayers, anything that allows you to find your center and recalibrate daily.
Find an activity that you love. Bonus points if it needs your full physical and mental concentration like boxing, swimming, brisk walking or running, biking, golf, or power yoga.
Anger can be released through high intensity exercise and training. (Credit: betterme.world)
Any activity that requires concentration and physical effort will help you calm down after a anger outburst. (Credit: womenshealth.com)
Talk to a close friend. Being heard and acknowledged heals you emotionally. Often a tight hug can help you lift your mood by activating feel-good hormones in your body and brain.
Let it go. Once the issue has been discussed, stop. Don't allow it to linger for days in your mind. Avoid self-talk and move on.
Increase your serotonin in your food intake: Salmon, Eggs, Tofu, Nuts and seeds are good sources. (Credit: dralexjimenez)
Learning to control anger is a challenge for all of us at some point in our lives.
Seek help if your anger seems out of control, makes you do things you later regret or takes a toll on your family or relationships. Remember that low serotonin levels (mood-enhancing amino acids) may be affecting your ability to regulate anger. Through self-awareness, medical advice and therapy sessions you can curve and control this condition, making life so much more joyful for you and those around you.
Claudia Bermudez Hyun | guest contributor | ws
This article – with a few changes – was first published on February 16, 2022, in the Philippines Star Lifestyle Section where the author is a regular guest columnist.
Claudia Bermudez-Hyun has been on a nutrition and holistic wellness journey for the last 20 years; she understands the relationship between mind and body and how to heal through proper food, emotional balance and spirituality. She is a practicing Integrative Health Coach and certified yoga therapist and teacher. She is also a regular Health and Wellness writer for the Philippine Star. The author can be followed in IG @claudiabermudezh
