Thursday, August 18, 2016

Don’t Get Mad; How Anger Disrupts Mental Health

Anger is a normal human emotion that can disrupt mental health. Anger, part of the fight-or-flight system, can serve a protective function. Feeling angry fuels aggression and motivates us to fight. Stressful situations; perceived embarrassment, humiliation, or bullying; substance use; and some mental illnesses (such as mood disorders, trauma- and stressor induced disorders, and some personality disorders) cause people to experience strong feelings of anger.

Anger, unfortunately, interferes in relationships, school, and employment. It often leads to isolation and loneliness, which can be frustrating and fuel more anger. Additionally, anger disrupts mental health by diminishing the sense of happiness and overall life satisfaction.

Controlling Anger: Think Before You Act

An effective way to prevent anger from interfering in life is to think differently about situations and people that trigger anger (how to control anger). You can't control how others act, but you can control how you react. Determine what's important to you in your relationships, and speak and act to enhance what's important. When your instinct is to lash out in anger, stop for a moment, breathe deeply, call to mind your values, and choose your actions and reactions accordingly. You'll find yourself acting on anger less and preserving what you love, including your mental health, more.

Related Articles Dealing with Anger and Mental Health

Constructive Tips to Resolve Anger and Conflict
Anger Management
Anger Management for Children
Anger Management Likely to Increase Domestic Abuse
Your Thoughts

Today's Question: What keeps you from lashing out in anger when getting mad feels natural? We invite you to participate by commenting and sharing your feelings, experiences and knowledge on the HealthyPlace Facebook page and on the HealthyPlace Google+ page.

Source http://www.healthyplace.com/

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