Anger, although commonly felt and expressed, is a powerful emotion. When it reaches greater
intensity, anger becomes wrath. Let’s take a look at some of the causes and results.
A common cause for anger is the prevention or incompletion of attaining our goals and desires. Since
humans have numerous and different goals and desires, anger can easily erupt at any time. It’s common for
people to feel frustrated and angry at the same time because both emotions are the results of their inability
to achieve their objectives.
Another cause for anger is feeling inadequate and disrespected; humans normally feel furious when they believe
that they are not being treated equally and fairly.
Factors that Affect Anger
- Fatigue – When extremely tired, our minds and bodies slow down and this sometimes makes us unable to
cope with problems that we could ordinarily solve. Exhaustion makes us lose our patience and temper
more than usual.
- Alcohol and Drugs – It’s well-known that alcohol and drugs can have disastrous effects on how our
minds work. And one of these effects is controlling our tempers. Intoxication and the influence of drugs can
cause us to become easily provoked and liable to have violent reactions to minor difficulties.
- Pain – Anger is an understandable effect of extreme pain. Because our mind and body are nearly
fully involved in finding ways to help ourselves cope with the pain, we end up lacking the ability to sufficiently
control our temper.
Effects of Anger
- Depression – Anger is often followed by depression. When we are especially irritated, we tend to express
ourselves very passionately. Afterwards, when we recognize such outburst as abnormal, we end up feeling
depressed and unable to cope with the reality of what we have just done. Depression is also another emotion
commonly produced by blocked goals and desires.
- Loss or Reduced Ability to Comprehend Logic – Anger also often makes us reasonable. It makes us blind
to the truth and unable to accept what’s sensible. When anger is the primary emotion being felt, we become
less able to think and act rationally and in some cases, even our senses do not work properly.
- Increased Physical Strength and Courage – Sometimes, the effects of anger can be positive. When we
are threatened, we may feel intimidated. Anger gives us the power & adrenalin to defend ourselves against
stronger elements – and even win occasionally. Anger may even give us the ability to confront our worst fears.
- Violence – Sigmund Freud once declared that individuals may have a natural urge to become angry and
violent when their goals are blocked. Although leading psychologists had formerly disproved this theory, recent
studies have shown that people do have specific genes that contribute to the likelihood of violence
occurring when anger is present.
Tips on Managing Anger
Be Forgiving – Anger is generally a destructive behavior. When something causes us to feel angry, we
should take a deep breath and remind ourselves that anger will achieve NOTHING. Forgiveness however, will give us
peace of mind and contentment.
That’s Life – Sometimes, we have justifiable reasons for feeling angry. Nevertheless, the validity
of our emotions doesn’t provide us a solution. In these cases, it’s best to simply accept situations beyond our
control and move on. Dwelling on negatives and letting our anger take control of our lives is simply a waste of time.
Find an Acceptable Outlet – It’s healthy for us to express our emotions, including anger. However, we must
express it in acceptable, non-violent and productive ways. Since anger generally increases our strength and
energy, why not use it to tackle important goals in our lives?
Know Your Limits – If you realize that you’re easily angered, constantly remind yourself that there’s
always a possibility your anger will push you to commit acts of violence.
It is quite normal for us to feel anger at certain times in our lives. Permanently suppressing anger will simply
cause us to act abnormally. What’s not normal is when our anger seems to have no bounds and expressing it
tends to have destructive consequences. When this happens, it’s imperative to seek help immediately. Leaving it
unchecked may prove to be fatal not only to yourself but to loved ones as well.
These are the most common types of anger. Determine what type your anger is. Then harness it for your own good and
that of the ones you love.
NEXT: Anger Triggers & Management
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