How Unexpressed Anger Impacts Your Mental Health

 / 

,
unexpressed anger impacts your mental health

Most of us tend to ignore or avoid our negative feelings that can arise from different situations, instead of learning to deal with them. We don’t learn to let go of them and that is the reason many people suffer from unexpressed anger and pent-up frustrations which can later negatively affect our physical, psychological, and social functions.

Though we often associate the two, anger is not aggression. Aggression is the enactment of anger and can take many forms from physical to verbal. Anger, however, is an emotion, a feeling. There is an odd irony that anger is in the same club of emotions like joy and love because it can feel so utterly different, easily igniting aggression with the right conditions.

Under its spell, we can feel like a pumped-up, steroid-injected alter ego that we don’t recognize later on. On one end of the spectrum, anger can be the source of festering stress. On the other, anger can be the fuel to violence and destruction, even death.

Related: Karl Koch’s Tree Test: What A Drawing Can Reveal About Your Emotions

Anger is so strong that it has the capacity to change others’ behavior. No other human emotion has the capacity to bend the will of another the way anger can, especially when anger turns to aggression. I certainly hightailed it away from that New York muscle man.

Anger expressed in this way is like the growling lion in the wild. This kind of anger creates fear, the effect of which is to scare off an intruder or predator. The approach of the fight can induce an avoidance reaction of flight.

anger is a potent spice. It is an emotion.
How Unexpressed Anger Impacts Your Mental Health

But the emotion of anger that we often experience as humans is not always, or even usually, expressed as outward and violent aggression. Unlike lions, humans do not act on instinct alone.

What Are The Causes Of Unexpressed Anger

Often, people turn these emotions of anger inward to the later surface as depression or bitterness. In my work as a psychiatrist with children and adults, it is not unusual to discover that repressed anger has turned into a sense of powerlessness, stress, frustration, or disapproval.

Many of these people are experiencing anger and do not know how to express or handle this very powerful emotion. Anger can rankle in the human brain and manifest in many other destructive ways. Anger’s power over us individually is immense, and its ripple effect throughout all aspects of our lives—our relationships, our careers, educational experiences, even our longevity—can be life-altering, even devastating. 

Yet, just as potent is our innate ability to understand and control the forces of anger in ourselves and others. Think back to the last time you were extremely angry. Did you use strong language, yell or strike? While it may seem that these responses are spontaneous and uncontrollable, each one is actually profoundly under your control. You have a choice of what to do and how to express your anger.

Related: 21 Different Art Therapy Exercises For Different Emotions

This ability to choose develops as we grow older. If you’re a parent, you have seen how anger can consume a toddler who can’t reach or have something she’s after. You have had to step in, change the course of your child’s behavior, and redirect her emotions.

You are slowly showing your child how anger can be controlled. Anger control is expected of adults, although of course, it doesn’t always happen. Often, the angry person appears to be out of control and their actions unpredictable.

Their unpredictability can make us anxious and activates in us the avoidance of flight, or the approach of the fight. Sometimes we know we are not strong enough to fight or fast enough to flee. So we freeze, try to become invisible, and hope the danger passes.

But there is another choice we can make. 

We can wonder: What is it about that person’s inner life that is making them angry? When you get beyond the shouts and gesticulations, you find that angry people are frequently deeply frustrated over something that seems not so important in retrospect; having someone cut you off in traffic, or a person seeming rude and inconsiderate.

Perhaps, ironically, their own fear over the loss of something drove their emotions to detonate, causing them to lose the thing they wanted after all. Uncovering what is really making you or another person angry is key to figuring out how to defuse that anger.

When we understand the evolution of anger and the reasons this natural force remains a determinant of human behavior, we can learn to expose it and use it. Not only that, but like the martial arts master who uses the energy of the opponent to power his own moves, each of us has the ability to detect, harness, and train the force of anger in ourselves and others.

When we do this, we can apply it in ways that enhance our lives, achieve our goals, and, ultimately, influence other people’s behavior for the better as well.

Anger is just an emotion. It’s what you do with it that matters.  


The I-M Approach
Source: Joseph Shrand, MD

References 
Outsmarting Anger: 7 Strategies for Defusing our Most Dangerous Emotion.  Joseph Shrand, MD  Leigh Devine, MS 2021 Second Printing, Books Fluent paperback edition

Written By: Dr. Joseph Shrand
Drug Story Theater 
Podcast
Originally Appeared On Psychology Today
Republished With Permission 
Unexpressed Anger Impacts Mind pin
unexpressed anger impacts your mental health pin

— Share —

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply



Up Next

Focus Like A Monk: What Is Monk Mode And 10 Ways It Can Help You Succeed In Life 

What is Monk Mode and How Can It Transform Your Life?

Do you find it hard to focus on a task? Do you get easily distracted? Not sure how to enter a flow state and do your best? If you are looking for ways to focus amidst the chaos and find some inner peace, then let me introduce you to the fascinating concept of “Monk Mode.” What is monk mode, you ask?

If you have been on social media lately, you must have heard about monk mode, a concept that has been gaining a lot of attention on TikTok. Based on the mindset and lifestyle of disciplined monks, this process allows us to reach our peak productivity.

So let us delve into the depths of monk mode, explore the myriad monk mode benefits, and provide practical tips on how to get into monk mode to transform your life.

What is M



Up Next

14 Benefits Of Visualization And How To Harness It’s Power

Benefits Of Visualization And How To Harness It's Power

The power of visualization is not something that a lot of people might know about. However, once you know how to harness it’s power, you will see that the benefits of visualization can be endless. Explore the power of creative visualization and it’s benefits.

“The man who has no imagination has no wings.” —Mohammad Ali

You’re probably familiar with the old saying, “Seeing is believing.” Well, it’s this adage’s simple concept that’s at the core of a powerful form of mental exercise called visualization. This practice isn’t just for casual daydreamers, though.



Up Next

How To Be Less Nervous And More Confident? 15 Sentences To Change Your Mindset

How To Be Less Nervous And More Confident? Cool Ways

Feeling anxious and wondering how to be less nervous? Well, you’re not alone—everyone gets jittery from time to time.

But here’s the thing: nerves are just a part of being human, and there’s nothing to worry about. In fact, let me share 15 sentences that might just help if you’re thinking about how to make yourself less nervous.

You’re NOT feeling fear – it’s excitement. The tingling sensation that runs down your spine is your body’s way of telling you to get ready for what’s coming next. Instead of being scared, try and think about how thrilling this journey will be.



Up Next

8 Formidable Habits Of Stress-Resistant Minds

Habits Of Stress-Resistant Minds: Great Signs Of Resilience

We all know life can really test us sometimes, and it feels like a never-ending roller-coaster ride that’s all about deadlines, bills, responsibilities and unexpected curveballs. It’s easy to give into the stress of it all and lose our s***, but that doesn’t help, does it? Today we are going to talk about a few habits of stress-resistant minds and how you can be one of them.

Becoming the Zen master of your own mind is sometimes easier said than done, however, having a calm mind is one of the most underrated superpowers there is. People with stress resistant minds know that high levels of anxiety and reactivity will not help them deal with tricky situations.

Trying to build a resilient mindset is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your mental peace. So, are you ready to know the habits of stress-resistant minds? Let’s get started.



Up Next

Mastering The Art Of Influence: How The Power Of Suggestion Can Shape Your Reality

How to use the power of suggestion: Tips

Have you ever experienced a situation where the power of suggestion influenced your thoughts, decisions, or actions? 

Perhaps a friend recommended a book, and you found yourself engrossed in its pages. Or maybe you were persuaded to try a new restaurant and ended up discovering your new favorite cuisine. These instances demonstrate how a simple suggestion can shape our perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors in ways we may not even realize. 

Let’s explore what is the power of suggestion, how it can impact our lives and how to use the power of suggestion. So, fasten your seatbelts as we embark on a journey to uncover the hidden potential within us all.

What is The Power of Suggestion?



Up Next

4 Zodiac Signs With Tunnel Vision: Are You Narrowing Your Focus?

Zodiac Signs With Tunnel Vision (Narrow Focus)

Feeling stuck and can’t seem to change? Here are 4 zodiac signs with tunnel vision. They get so focused on one idea or task that they forget about everything else.

Focusing is like looking through a tube, everything else around us gets blurry. It happens to our eyes and cameras too, this phenomenon is known as “tunnel vision“. Some people do this more than others when it comes to thoughts.

These four signs are like that. They’re so set in their ways that they can’t see other possibilities. So, without ado let’s take a look at the zodiac signs that suffer from tunnel vision and how they can overcome it.



Up Next

Trust And Commitment: Why Every Happy Relationship Needs It

Trust And Commitment In A Relationship: Important Things

A thriving relationship is built on trust and commitment. Let’s delve into the elements that are vital for happiness and security in your love life.

Believe me when I say, a happy relationship is IMPOSSIBLE without trust and commitment. Don’t believe me? Keep reading.

Love is like Legos. In each passing moment, we are either building a wall between ourselves and our lover or a bridge into each other’s hearts.

Each Lego is an interaction between romantic partners. The deciding factor of whether we open or protect our hearts is the quality of trust.

“Without trust, there can be no meaningful connection.” – Brene Brown