Understanding The Psychology Of Anger

One can define anger as a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. It can be important to note that anger can be a normal, universal human emotion. There may be many instances and events in life that can cause someone to become angry. Typically, anger arises when someone feels threatened, disturbed, or otherwise interrupted from a peaceful emotional state. Anger can also be combined with other emotions, such as jealousy, sadness, or hopelessness. 

Regardless, anger is a normal emotion and most people will feel angry at times. Expressing anger can be a healthy act and is not always indicative of a mental health condition. 

Long-term or unmanaged anger can lead to negative effects on your life, but it may be possible to manage anger through methods like deep breathing, lifestyle changes, and therapy. If you’re experiencing challenges managing your anger, you may wish to try online therapy to get the help and support you deserve.

This article explores what anger is, the psychology behind anger, anger management techniques, and how to find help getting your anger under control. 

The psychology of anger

Just from reading anger quotes, we can already tell that there can be many misconceptions and misinterpretations surrounding anger. One of the most common misconceptions may be that anger is a bad emotion. Anger may not always be a negative emotion; however, when someone isn't able to manage their anger in an appropriate way, harmful situations can arise. 

How being constantly angry affects your physical and mental health

Of course, there can be some drawbacks associated with anger, particularly if this emotion is ongoing or recurring for long periods. Anger may lead to damaged relationships, lower quality of life, and even health issues, like high blood pressure. The negative impacts associated with repeated and ongoing anger can be reasons why learning to manage anger is often believed to be so important. By addressing anger management concerns, you can prevent physical health issues caused by side effects of anger like increased blood pressure and a high heart rate. 

Passive-aggressive behavior, for example, involves expressing anger indirectly through subtle actions or behaviors, often masking underlying hostility or resentment. And it is often considered harmful to social relationships. 

Anger patterns

Patterns typically exist in many areas of life, such as relationships, career choices, and others. Patterns can also be dominant themes in emotional states and feelings. When experiencing anger, it can be important to be cognizant of patterns and the roles they may play in your feelings. One of the most revealing things about patterns may be that they can provide insight into who you are, the choices you make, and whether certain changes may need to be made.

If you find that you are constantly feeling angry around certain people or in certain environments, then this could be a negative pattern that requires a change. People and environments that are good for you will usually not cause you to feel constant anger and unhappiness. Sometimes, we must make tough decisions that allow us to grow and evolve in the long term.

The pitfalls of ongoing anger

The definition and psychology of anger have generally been explored and well-documented. Even so, there may still be many people who may fail to realize the pitfalls associated with ongoing states of anger and discontentment. Anger can ruin opportunities, destroy families, and prevent people from having experiences that would be good for them and help them grow.

In general, ongoing anger is not a positive state of being. If you are constantly in a state of anger, you may find additional things to be angry about because of your default mindset. The way you feel on a regular basis can matter quite a bit, and it can set the tone for many things in your life. It can determine how you go about life, how others perceive you, the way you interact with people, and more. The ultimate pitfall of ongoing anger could be robbing yourself of an amazing quality of life that could be available to you if you were willing to work through the source of your angry feelings.

Managing feelings of anger and rage

Anger may be an inevitable emotion that many humans feel from time to time, but this doesn't mean that we must be powerless to control it. By having a grasp on anger, we may ensure that this emotion doesn't fester and become strong enough to control us. 

One of the first steps in controlling anger can be acknowledging its existence. Many people find it challenging to admit they are angry; this can be problematic because it can be difficult for an issue to be resolved without first being acknowledged.

There can be a multitude of strategies to help manage anger. Once you've acknowledged feelings of anger, you may begin to assess them. Why are you angry? What's bothering you? Is your anger a result of feeling threatened or scared? In most scenarios, it may not be challenging to know why you are angry. When people experience feelings of anger, there is almost always a person, event, decision, or another trigger that sets the anger in motion.

There may be many other strategies that can be used to manage anger: deep breathing, removing yourself from the situation, and making lifestyle changes are just a few. Ultimately, these methods generally involve getting to the root of your anger, which can be easier said than done, but is often worth the effort.

Online therapy may help you manage your anger

While it may be possible to learn to manage your anger on your own, receiving guidance from a licensed mental health professional can be a valuable and helpful tool. You may wish to find a therapist in your local area that you can meet with in person, or you may decide to try online therapy as it may fit into your schedule more easily.

An increasing number of studies suggest that online therapy can help those experiencing complicated feelings related to anger. In this study, researchers looked at the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on those experiencing problematic anger. They found that participants showed significantly decreased feelings of anger after a brief treatment. This type of therapy (CBT) is generally as effective when administered online as it is in person.