Anger------How It Affects You
In this series of “Feeling ALL your Feelings,” we’ve discussed smiling, laughing and crying. Now, we deal with another emotion, anger, which not only can scare others but can frighten us, too.
In this week’s blog post, we’ll discuss the definitions, facts and different findings about anger. Then, in the following blog post, we’ll get into the nitty-gritty of learning how to become aware of it, ‘feel it’, let it wash over you and go on………..and move forward.
As a Life Coach NYC, Mindset Coach and hypnotherapist (and former dentist), I’m quite aware of the body/mind/brain connection and of the ‘survival’ need for anger and other feelings and emotions.
Here are just a few definitions of anger:
-to enrage or provoke.
-a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility.
-a feeling of displeasure resulting from injury, mistreatment, opposition, etc, and usually showing itself in a desire to fight back at the supposed cause of this feeling.
-an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong. Anger can be a good thing. It can give you a way to express negative feelings, for example, or motivate you to find solutions to problems. But excessive anger can cause problems.
-Wikipedia explanation: Anger, also known as wrath or rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat.
A person experiencing anger will often experience physical effects, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and increased levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Some view anger as an emotion which triggers part of the fight or flight response.
Anger becomes the predominant feeling behaviorally, cognitively, and physiologically when a person makes the conscious choice to take action to immediately stop the threatening behavior of another outside force.
Anger can have many physical and mental consequences. The external expression of anger can be found in facial expressions, body language, physiological responses, and at times public acts of aggression. Facial expressions can range from inward angling of the eyebrows to a full frown. While most of those who experience anger explain its arousal as a result of “what has happened to them”, psychologists point out that an angry person can very well be mistaken because anger causes a loss in self-monitoring capacity and objective observability.
Modern psychologists view anger as a normal, natural, and mature emotion experienced by virtually all humans at times, and as something that has functional value for survival. Uncontrolled anger can negatively affect personal or social well-being and negatively impact those around them. While many philosophers and writers have warned against the spontaneous and uncontrolled fits of anger, there has been disagreement over the intrinsic value of anger. The issue of dealing with anger has been written about since the times of the earliest philosophers, but modern psychologists, in contrast to earlier writers, have also pointed out the possible harmful effects of suppressing anger.
I really like this Wikipedia explanation because it’s pretty all-encompassing-----mind, body, brain, spirit, instincts, etc.
Understanding the body/brain/mind and their connections can be complex, surprising, seem counterintuitive and at times, not easily understandable…..
Survival?
Is anger a ‘survival’ emotion? Yes; anger is a natural, normal emotion. It serves a SURVIVAL function. It protects vulnerability and neutralizes threat and has been with us (homo sapiens) for eons. It also serves to increase an individual’s bargaining power.
In prior eras, anger could save you from being the tasty lunch of a saber-toothed tiger or could help you fight off others who were threatening, to you and yours.
Our basic minds/brains/bodies functioning hasn’t changed much from these times, and anger is a normal emotion. The difference now is that, in our modern world, we must sometimes express anger but much of the time, within a social context, we must learn to ‘control’ it. I prefer the word ‘master’ it.
Life has changed over millions of years and many of us now live in more crowded places, with many people living and working together, so we can’t let our anger get out of hand (something that seems to be occurring more and more in the USA, particularly with the way-too-easy availability of dangerous guns). We must learn to develop some social constraints.
So, anger is an emotion we have to be aware of, accept, FEEL, and work through……….to express well.
How Anger Affects People
Well-managed (or mastered) anger can be a useful emotion that can motivate you to make positive changes. On the other hand, anger is a powerful emotion and if not handled appropriately, may have destructive results for you and for those closest to you.
Uncontrolled anger can lead to arguments, physical fights, physical abuse, assault and self-harm (turned inward). Anger turned inward can turn into depression.
Physical Effects of Anger
Anger triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ (sympathetic nervous system) response. Fear, excitement and anxiety do the same.
Your adrenal glands flood your body with stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. The brain shunts blood away from your gut and towards the muscles, in preparation for physical exertion (fight or flight). Heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increase, the body temperature rises and the skin perspires. Your mind becomes focused and sharpened.
Anger and Health Problems
The constant flow of stress hormones (chemicals) and associated metabolic changes that go hand in hand with unconstrained anger can cause harm to many different systems of the body, over time.
These are some of the short and long-term health problems that have been linked to unmanaged anger:
-increased anxiety
-high blood pressure
-digestive problems (ie: abdominal pain)
-headache
-depression
-insomnia
-skin problems (ie: eczema)
-heart attack
-stroke
In the next blog post, we’ll get into exercises and other simple and practical things you can do to express anger in healthy ways…….and what great lessons to teach your kids and others….
Just so you know; there is no definitive anger issues test but there are many self-assessments. Over time, different tools have developed to help assess a patient’s anger level and/or reactions.
While anger by itself, is not considered a psychological disorder, it can be a symptom of various mental health conditions, such as depression, ADHD, dementia, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and more.
If you need help with anger or rage, please contact your physician, a counselor, psychologist, etc. or be in touch, for suggestions and referrals.
With smiles and love,
Dr Gigi
PS: There is plenty of anger right now in regards to what’s going on in our country (USA) and around the world. This is more ‘natural’ anger. If your anger becomes too big and/or overwhelming to manage/master and you or others feel that you’re getting ‘out of control,’ do get help. It’s worth it………….
Please contact me if you’re ready to ‘feel ALL your feelings’ and work them through. I’m here for you!
Sign up for your Free Clarity Call @www.gigiarnaud.com or drop me a message on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn @drgigiarnaud.
Enjoy summer!