Deep Anger Quotes: 32 Quotes To Help You Understand Anger

Updated November 12, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team

Anger can be a challenging emotion to experience, and in some cases, it can significantly harm a person’s physical health, mental health, and relationships. To better understand anger, it can be beneficial to learn about it from the perspective of others. Here are a few deep anger quotes that may shed light on how this emotion works and the impacts it can have on one’s life. For more personalized support in managing anger, consider reaching out to a licensed therapist online or in person.

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A notable Mark Twain quote about anger

Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, American writer Mark Twain (1835-1910) may be best known for his books The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Twain wrote on a variety of subjects, including childhood, morality, and race. On the subject of anger, Twain had this to say: “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” 

What can we learn from this Mark Twain quote? 

Although this quote is up to interpretation, Twain may be referring to the way that anger can affect those experiencing it compared to those toward whom it is directed. While angry outbursts or aggressive behavior can harm those around an individual, a consistently angry outlook or demeanor may be more likely to erode that person’s health and well-being.

An important Marcus Aurelius quote about anger

Marcus Aurelius (121-180) was the emperor of Rome between the years 161 and 180. As a writer and philosopher, his best-known work may be Meditations, a journal holding Aurelius’s ideas on the philosophy of Stoicism. On the topic of anger, Marcus Aurelius had this to say: “How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” 

What can we learn from this Marcus Aurelius quote? 

In this quote, Marcus Aurelius may be referring to the way that some individuals can overreact when they’re angry. For those who cannot control their anger, an outburst may occur as the result of a benign or minor event. In these situations, the destructive results of anger may far outweigh the inciting incident.

A significant Ralph Waldo Emerson quote about anger

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was an American writer and philosopher who may be best known for leading the transcendentalist movement that occurred during the mid-19th century. This movement was based on the belief that humans were innately good, and that everyone should be united under a system of insight and truth. On the subject of anger, Emerson had this to say: “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”

What can we learn from this Ralph Waldo Emerson quote? 

Emerson may be referring to the wastefulness that some anger can result in. While anger may be a healthy emotion that many individuals will experience at some point during their lives, constant anger can be detrimental to their health and relationships. By choosing to address one’s anger, it may be possible to improve emotional well-being, which could lead to more consistent happiness.

Other anger quotes

While the quotes above may be helpful, they aren’t the only ones available on the topic of anger. Here are several more that may provide valuable wisdom. 

  • “If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.” - Rainer Maria Rilke
  • “You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist.” - Indira Gandhi
  • “Anger is like flowing water; there’s nothing wrong with it as long as you let it flow. Hate is like stagnant water; anger that you denied yourself the freedom to feel, the freedom to flow; water that you gathered in one place and left to forget.” - C. Joy Bell C. 
  • “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” - Ambrose Bierce
  • “Boredom, anger, sadness, or fear are not ‘yours,’ not personal. They are conditions of the human mind. They come and go. Nothing that comes and goes is you.” - Eckhart Tolle
  • “When anger rises, think of the consequences.” - Confucius
  • “Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you.” - G.M. Trevelyan
  • “No man can think clearly when his fists are clenched.” - George Jean Nathan
  • “The best fighter is never angry.” - Lao Tzu
  • “It is wise to direct your anger towards problems, not people; to focus your energies on answers, not excuses.” - William Arthur Ward
  • “Never respond to an angry person with a fiery comeback, even if he deserves it…Don’t allow his anger to become your anger.” - Bodhi Sanders
  • “Anger makes dull men witty, but keeps them poor.” – Queen Elizabeth I
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Quotes about fear

Anger can sometimes mask other emotions, such as fear. Here are several quotes about fear and anger that may be helpful. 

  • “Anger is a symptom of fear.” - David Kessler
  • “Anger is fear in disguise.” - Osho
  • “Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” - Yoda
  • “Each of us must confront our fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.” - Judy Blume
  • “The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” - Nelson Mandela
  • “Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” - James Thurber
  • “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.” - Robert Green Ingersoll
  • “Fear is the only true enemy, born of ignorance and the parent of anger and hate.” - Edward Albert

Quotes about forgiveness

While it can be difficult, forgiveness may dispel anger and enable a person to move forward with their life. Here are several quotes about forgiveness that could provide motivation. 

  • “Holding on to anger, resentment, and hurt only gives you tense muscles, a headache, and a sore jaw from clenching your teeth. Forgiveness gives you back the laughter and the lightness in your life.” - Joan Lunden
  • “The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present.” - Barbara De Angelis
  • “If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.” - Mother Teresa
  • “Without forgiveness, life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.” - Roberto Assagioli
  • “Don’t waste your time in anger, regrets, worries, and grudges. Life is too short to be unhappy.” - Roy T. Bennet
  • “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” - Buddha
  • “Anger begins with folly, and ends with repentance.” - Pythagoras
  • “Get mad, then get over it.” - Colin Powell
  • “If you spend time hoping someone will suffer the consequences for what they did to your heart, then you’re allowing them to hurt you a second time in your mind.” - Shannon L. Alder
  • “Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.” - Cherie Carter-Scott

How to address anger

While quotes about anger can be helpful, addressing your anger may require the assistance of a mental health professional. A therapist can provide a space to discuss your anger and the way it is impacting your life. 

If you are experiencing an anger-related disorder, a mental healthcare provider can provide a diagnosis and create a treatment plan. Depending on what type of disorder you are experiencing, this treatment plan may involve the use of various types of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, anger management therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic approach that can help with a variety of challenges and conditions, including anger. With the help of a CBT provider, individuals can identify the maladaptive patterns of thought that may contribute to their experience of anger. Once identified, individuals can learn ways to restructure these patterns and avoid aggressive behaviors. 

Anger management therapy

Anger management therapy often utilizes CBT techniques to address the specific challenges facing individuals with intense anger. Anger management may focus on identifying the situations that trigger a person to become angry, finding ways to reduce exposure to these situations, and changing how one reacts when these situations arise. 

Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy typically focuses on how a person feels and the emotions involved in their anger. This type of therapy can also help individuals understand what motivates them and how their needs could inform their anger. Once they understand these underlying causes, a psychodynamic therapist can show people skills that can help them address their anger. 

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Online therapy

While psychodynamic therapy and other therapeutic approaches may be effective for addressing anger, in-person forms of therapy may not be accessible for everyone. In some cases, a person may experience anger when driving, which could make traveling to a therapist’s office challenging. Others may lack health insurance or live in a region without sufficient mental health professionals. In these and many other situations, online therapy can be an effective alternative. 

Research suggests that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy, with a 2022 study finding no significant differences between these approaches

Takeaway

Anger quotes, including those by Mark Twain, Marcus Aurelius, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, may provide wisdom on how anger feels and the ways it can impact a person’s life. However, while these quotes can be beneficial, they may not be enough to address one’s anger. In these situations, it may be helpful to seek the help of a mental health professional, whether in person or through an online therapy platform.

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