Frequently Asked Questions About Anger
How Do You Distinguish Between Healthy and Unhealthy Anger?
We are all born with the predisposition to experience anger. Furthermore, anger is often a constructive and valuable emotion. It is often a signal that something meaningful is upsetting us. Anger mobilizes our attention and prepares our body to take action that often is adaptive.
However, anger can become too intense and therefore problematic. When is anger a problem?
- When it happens too often
- When it lasts too long
- When it negatively impacts others
- When the expression of it is inappropriate
- When it compromises efficiency and performance
- When it compromises health or quality of life
Are There Different Kinds of Anger?
Yes. Of course there is constructive anger in which the emotion is expressed appropriately in response to an unfair or potentially harmful situation.
Then there is destructive anger. Dr. Robert Nay, a leading expert in anger management, has identified five “faces” of destructive anger:
- Passive-aggression (e.g. engages in actions known to irritate the other person)
- Sarcasm (e.g. makes cutting remarks about others; uses a tone of voice that that conveys disgust)
- Cold anger (e.g. withdrawal from the other person for a period of time; refuses to reveal what is wrong)
- Hostility (e.g. conveys an inner intensity, raised voice. Shows visible signs of frustration and annoyance)
- Aggression (e.g. verbally abusive — curses, uses name-calling, blames. Acts out anger with pushing, blocking or hitting)
Can Anger Harm Your Health?
Unfortunately, yes. The tendency to experience anger frequently — known as high trait anger — affects many of the body’s systems, such as the cardiovascular, immune, digestive and central nervous systems. This can lead to increased risks of hypertension and stroke, heart disease, gastric ulcers and bowel diseases, as well as possible increased risk of some types of cancers. Research has shown that high trait anger is an independent and significant factor for heart disease.
What are some of the major myths about anger?
- Venting anger is healthy
- Frustration inevitably leads to aggression
- A person’s anger is caused by others
- Anger management is about learning to suppress your anger