Anger is one of the basic human emotions, as elemental as happiness, sadness, anxiety, or disgust. These emotions are tied to basic survival and were honed over the course of human history.
Anger can be a healthy emotion that energizes us, protects us from danger and helps us work through difficult life events. But, for some people, anger takes control and it begins to surface in unhealthy ways.
Are you dangerously angry? The evidence from numerous studies is clear: constant chronic anger, hostility, and aggression raise your risk of developing various deadly forms of heart disease by as much as 500%. Anger at small things like store lines and traffic may actually be slowly killing you.
People who frequently experience extreme anger often have difficulty recognizing their own destructive anger states. Luckily, most people experience a number of physical, emotional and behavioral cues that they can use to let them know when they are becoming upset.
Some physical signs of anger include:
- clenching your jaws or grinding your teeth
- increased and rapid heart rate
- dizziness
Emotionally you may feel: - like you want to get away from the situation
- anxious
- like striking out verbally or physically
Also, you may notice that you are:
- pacing
- craving a drink, a smoke or other substances that relax you
- beginning to yell, scream, or cry”
See more clues at Mental Help.
Anger can be obsessive when you continue to replay the incident, talking about it, posting on FB, replaying it over and over in your mind. You can’t let it go…. it keeps you awake at night.
So, what does this mean for you? What can you do differently?
It is healthy to feel all your emotions. Feel the anger and let it go. Don’t deny it; you need to recognize it within you. You can also learn to express it in a non-destructive manner—write it out, meditate, cry, draw, let someone know, etc.—and leave it there.
If you can’t let it go, here is an article that could help a lot: 19 Strategies on How to Let Go of Anger and Resentment
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