What Role Does Anger Play In Mental Health?
Anger is a normal emotion that everyone experiences. However, some people respond to anger in ways that create severe distress for themselves and the people around them. Unresolved anger may cultivate intense sensations of resentment and rage. Moreover, this anger can wreak havoc on interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, and one’s overall quality of life.
Anger can manifest from a variety of triggers, but anger alone can be the secondary emotion for fear, loneliness, and shame. The emotional triggers may come from the past. People who experienced trauma or abuse often feel intense emotions, and they may not know how to cope with them. Toxic relationships can result in feelings of rejection and frustration, both of which can cultivate a sense of anger. Anger may also be an underlying symptom of other illnesses like depression or bipolar. Finally, many people feel angry with themselves. Low self-esteem and self-worth can result in feelings of inferiority, shame, and internalized rage.
How Can Anger Be Dangerous?
Feelings tell us information about ourselves and our environment, so anger isn’t inherently unnatural or wrong. However, anger can lead to people becoming overly focused on power, control, and distorted perceptions. When these urges lead to aggression, hostility, or harm to oneself or others, the quality of life suffers. By learning to identify triggers and cope with distress, people can learn how to address their intense feelings without reacting to them impulsively.
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How I Can Help You Manage Your Anger
In therapy, we will explore the role of anger in your daily living, your relationships as well as evaluate for underlying contributors. We will discuss how you have coped with anger in the past, and how you can make changes to more effectively cope in the future. Anger is an emotion you are entitled to feel. However, you can use more adaptive responses to manage this anger in a way that avoids it from defining you or isolating you from others.
