How Anger And Anxiety Are Connected
Have you ever wondered about the connection between anger and anxiety? These emotions can have several biological and emotional components in common and may occur together in certain situations. People can experience both panic and anger attacks. To understand these emotions, looking at them separately and together can be helpful.
What is anger?
Anger is often seen as a "negative emotion" because it may be unpleasant to experience and can sometimes cause unhealthy action urges. However, anger isn't necessarily harmful. Instead, anger is an emotion that helps the brain perceive when one has been maltreated or put in a dangerous situation. It can also be a sign to avoid a situation or stand up for yourself assertively (not aggressively).
When anger is not separated from behavioral urges, people may believe anger is only negative. However, when used conscientiously, it can be a tool to improve your life and understand when relationships are unhealthy. By recognizing anger when it occurs and seeking ways to respond constructively, you can use this emotion as motivation to achieve your goals.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is often associated with worrying and nervousness. However, these terms may not wholly encompass this experience. Anxiety is an emotional and physical response in the body's nervous system. Although it can be a natural response to scary or confusing events, anxiety may also lead to anxiety disorders, which are conditions that adversely impact daily functioning.
Some people who experience extreme anxiety may believe their fears or worries are paralyzing or preventing them from living their lives. The anxiety may occur frequently or intensely, and they might have trouble controlling it. The results can be excessive fear, excessive worry, nervousness, and apprehension about what could happen next. Those who experience anxiety may have panic attacks, as well. While these events are not necessarily harmful to your health, they can be debilitating and interfere with your relationships.
In psychology, anxiety is an umbrella term for several mental health disorders that bring about intense fear, worry, apprehensiveness, and nervousness. The ten anxiety disorders listed in the DSM-5 include the following:
Panic disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Specific phobias
Social anxiety disorder
Separation anxiety disorder
Selective mutism
Agoraphobia
Substance or medication-induced anxiety disorder
Anxiety disorder due to another medical condition
Other specified anxiety disorder
In the DSM-5, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is listed under obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is listed under trauma and stressor-related disorders.
Anger and anxiety
There are a few ways anger and anxiety can interact with one another. Evidence shows that anger can turn into anxiety and vice versa. Some people may experience anxiety specifically because they are experiencing anger. Anger can release fight or flight hormones, which can activate stress responses in the body and brain, potentially resulting in heightened anxiety.
Additionally, having an extreme outburst of anger can be distressing. When an episode is over, they might feel anxious or nervous about how other people perceive them because of how they acted. They may feel unhappy with themselves and the situation, prompting anxiety.
Conversely, anxiety may cause anger. You may feel irritated or frightened when you believe you cannot control your body or emotions, which can occur with anxiety. When those emotions happen, anger can arise.
How to manage anger
While anger is a normal and healthy emotion, it's possible for it to get out of control and lead to problems in your life. For that reason, it can be essential to learn to recognize, understand, and control your anger before it controls you. Depending on the severity and frequency of your potential anger episodes, you may be able to work through your emotions yourself or reach out to a mental health professional who can teach you effective strategies for control. Below are a few strategies to try at home.
Journaling
Journaling is one way people can reduce anger. Rather than letting your anger be shown outwardly, you can put your thoughts and feelings on paper and let yourself express what you want or need to. Write down your feelings, why you feel that way, and what would make you feel better. Even if you don't know why you feel angry, writing can act as a release, as proven by studies to improve mental health and wellness.
Meditation
Meditation can take many forms, so you don't have to sit cross-legged and hum if that method doesn't resonate with you. Some people meditate by closing their eyes, taking deep breaths, and attempting to regain control. Meditation involves focusing on breathing, what your five senses are perceiving in the moment, and allowing thoughts and emotions to pass without holding onto or judging them.
Separating thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
It may be beneficial to separate your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors when anger arises. Being able to recognize what you're thinking and feeling is often the first step to being able to control how you react. If you can learn to recognize your emotions before they erupt, you may channel them more constructively. Emotions don't necessarily have to lead to unhealthy behaviors, as behaviors are a choice. For that reason, understanding a thought, emotion, or behavior can help you remind yourself when you're making an active choice to act out.
How to manage anxiety
Below are some of the most effective ways to manage anxiety, whether with professional help or at home.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is often the most effective treatment for managing anxiety. CBT is a type of talk therapy involving meeting with a therapist to talk about thoughts and recognize what may be causing distress. A therapist can lead clients in problem-solving skills that allow them to cope when painful emotions arise.
Mindfulness
Some of the same techniques for anger can also be applied to anxiety, such as mindfulness techniques and cognitive reframing. If you know how to recognize your thoughts and feelings, you may be able to use any of these techniques to help you reduce your anxiety level. If you don't know how to identify your thoughts and emotions, speaking with a therapist might be a place to start. A mental health professional can guide you through mindfulness and support you in becoming in tune with your body.
Yoga
Yoga is one way some people reduce their anxiety. One study found that yoga can be more effective at improving mood and reducing anxiety than other activities, such as walking. It teaches you to control and relax your body while focusing on your breathing. Endorphins are released through yoga, which can bring happiness and a greater sense of calmness.
Meditation
Meditation may also be an option for anxiety because meditation can slow it down. Closing your eyes and taking deep breaths might make focusing your thoughts on a positive outcome easier. Another meditation technique involves imagining yourself in a peaceful setting while focusing on breathing deeply in and out. It could be in a clearing in a forest, your favorite place in the city, on a beach, or in another calming location. Imagining yourself in this place and the sensations you would feel in this location can help you control your mood and feel more grounded in the present.
Muscle relaxation
When experiencing anxiety, your muscles may tense because your fight-or-flight hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, can start flowing through your body. You can relieve some of that tension by relaxing your muscles slowly and gradually. Focusing may also decrease your heart rate, which can reduce anxiety.
Therapy
If you struggle with anger and anxiety, reaching out to a professional may be beneficial. In some cases, anger and anxiety are symptoms of an underlying condition that may be best treated professionally.
If you struggle to connect with a therapist in person due to anxiety, severe anger, or a preference for staying at home, you might also benefit from online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp. You can log in to your sessions online and choose between phone, video, or live chat. In addition, you can schedule sessions with your therapist when you're available, which might not be as possible with in-person therapy.
Studies have found that online therapy can be as effective as in-person options. For example, one study found that online therapy was highly effective in reducing anger and aggression, while another found significant reductions in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder symptoms.
Takeaway
Is anger a symptom of anxiety?
Not necessarily. Both anxiety and anger are responses to a threat, and they limit our ability to tolerate things that may happen in our daily lives. But while anxiety can manifest as unease and fear, anger often involves a strong feeling that a wrong has been committed. That said, when anxiety turns to anger, it can be from a lack of sleep, irritability, or feeling out of control.
What skills are good for anxiety?
There are some relaxation and stress management skills that can help manage anxiety. These skills can include focused deep-breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and grounding techniques.
Why do I get angry and stressed so easily?
People can get angry for many reasons. Sometimes, anger can be a secondary emotion, meaning you’re feeling anger as a response to another emotion, like stress or sadness. This reaction can happen to anyone, but if you find that you’re replacing other emotions with anger frequently, you may need to look for ways to deal with your underlying feelings. For example, anger can be a part of the grieving process, but if you find that you’re angry most of the time, talking to a therapist or grief counselor can help.
Some mental health conditions can also manifest as anger, including bipolar disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. People may also experience feelings of anger with depression and, as we’ve been discussing, anxiety.
Does social anxiety cause anger?
Anger is not a diagnostic symptom of social anxiety, but some research indicates that people with social anxiety disorder may exhibit elevated levels of anger.
How do you calm anger and anxiety?
There are many techniques you can try to calm down when you’re experiencing anxiety or anger. Breathing, visualization, exercise, and progressive relaxation techniques can all help people calm down, as can journaling and spending time with friends and family. If you are having a difficult time dealing with your anxiety or angry outbursts, talking to a therapist is a great way to learn techniques for coping with your emotions.
What are the triggers for anxiety?
Everyone experiences anxiety a little differently, but there are some common triggers to look out for. Some common anxiety triggers include health problems, medication, caffeine, skipping meals, financial worries, formal social situations, conflict, and public performances.
Does anxiety go away if you ignore it?
Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time; generally, this kind of anxiety is likely to go away on its own once the stressor that caused it resolves. But anxiety disorders are different. For people with anxiety disorders, ignoring underlying anxiety is not only unlikely to make it go away, but it can also make it worse.
Should you yell at someone with anxiety?
If you are upset about the perceived inability of someone else to manage their anxiety, yelling is unlikely to make them feel better or improve the situation. In fact, yelling at someone with anxiety can make their long-standing anxiety worse. If you are experiencing frustration but want to help someone who is experiencing anxiety, take a deep breath, then try to validate their feelings and acknowledge that they are having a difficult time. Let them know you’re worried about their behavior. After your expressed concern, encourage them to seek help if needed.
Does anxiety make you overreact?
Anxiety can make someone overreact. At its core, anxiety is a condition that involves intense, excessive, and persistent fear or worry about everyday situations. These feelings resemble an exaggerated fight or flight response, are out of proportion to the actual situation, and can last for a long time, which can be explained as overreacting.
How do I stop anger issues?
Depending on the severity and frequency of your anger episodes, you may be able to try some things to manage them on your own. Journaling can help you get your thoughts and feelings out and act as a release for your frustrated emotions. Meditation to stay centered in the present can help you let go of angry thoughts and emotions. Deep breathing and grounding exercises may help, too. If you find that your anger outbursts are not improving or worsening or happening more frequently, talking to a therapist can help you figure out what is behind your anger and learn how to manage it more effectively.
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