Anger

     Boiling Point: problem anger and what we can do about it

For Mental Health Action Week 2008, we have launched a report about problem anger, how it affects individuals, families and communities, and what we can do to minimise the harm it causes.

Mounting evidence links anger with a range of physical, mental and social problems. Chronic and intense anger has been linked with Coronary Heart Disease, stroke, cancer and common physical illnesses including colds and flu, and generally poorer health; as well as increased risk-taking, poor decision-making and substance misuse.

Higher levels of anger are related to lower levels of social support and higher stress levels. High levels of anger expression have also been associated with less frequent use of positive coping strategies such as actively addressing problems. Anger has also been linked with mental health problems including depression and self-harm. People describe anger as more likely to have a negative effect on interpersonal relationships than any other emotion.

There is evidence to suggest that societal changes are contributing to a rise in emotional problems. Public polling carried out for this report indicates that a majority of the population believe that people in general are getting angrier. Influential authors quoted in this report have examined life in 21st century Western society and stated recently that we are we are getting angrier, and that despite 50 years of economic growth in the UK, we are no happier.

However, any changes we are witnessing are unlikely to be in the core structure of our basic emotions.  Evolution is a slow process - rapid changes are instead occurring in our social habits and economic and political circumstances and how they influence our thinking, feeling and behaviour. 

Healthy ways to deal with anger

Top tips on how to deal with anger in a healthy way

Count to ten before you act  

Anger leads us to take action very fast. But that can mean we don’t give ourselves the chance to choose a more constructive way to deal with our anger. Give rational thinking time to kick in.

Drop your shoulders and take a few deep breaths

And relax… your instincts may be telling your body to get ready to fight, but you can reverse this message by telling your body to chill out. 

Pummel a pillow or have a scream in your room 

Anger gets us ready for action and floods us with energy. Release your tension in a safe way, without hurting yourself or anyone else.

Channel your energy into exercise  

Work off your anger through exercise and boost the release of feel good brain chemicals which help us relax.

Distract yourself  

Take yourself out of the situation that made you angry - read a magazine, do a crossword, listen to soothing music or go for a walk.

Get creative

Pour out how you feel in writing or redirect your energy into another activity. It can help you get things in proportion and work out how you want to respond.

What you can do longer term

Practise relaxation techniques   

Relaxation techniques challenge the physical aspects of anger, such as the brain chemicals that prepare you to fight, before these chemicals lead you to act impulsively.

Keep talking, keep listening  

Talking about your feelings is good for your mental health and offloading to a friend can help you get perspective. Listen to other people’s point of view too. Assuming you know where they stand can take things from bad to worse.

Learn how to be assertive, not aggressive

Being assertive is a healthier way to express anger than aggression. People are more likely to take you seriously if you get your message across without sounding threatening or using aggressive body language.

Know yourself  

It can be helpful to work out what makes you angry, how it makes you behave and what calms you down. Would changes in your daily life help you deal with anger better?