Anger signals your body to prepare for a
fight. This reaction is commonly classified as "fight or flight." When you get
angry, adrenaline and other hormones are released into the bloodstream, then
your blood pressure goes up, your heart beats faster, and you breathe
faster.
Many people mistakenly believe that anger is always a bad emotion
and that expressing anger is not okay. In reality, anger can be a normal
response to everyday events. It is the right response to any situation that is
a real threat. Anger can be a positive driving force behind our actions. Anger
can also be a symptom of something else, depending on how often a person feels
angry and how angry the person feels.
Hostility is being ready for a fight all the
time. Hostile people are often stubborn, impatient, hotheaded, or have an
"attitude. They are frequently in fights or may say they feel like hitting
something or someone. Hostility isolates you from other people.
Teens who say they often feel angry and hostile also more often
feel
anxious,
stressed, sad, and
fatigued. They have more problems with alcohol and
drug abuse, smoking, and eating disorders than teens who do not have high
levels of anger.
Violent behavior often begins with verbal
threats or relatively minor incidents, but over time it can involve physical
harm. Violent behavior is very damaging, both physically and emotionally.
Violent behavior can include physical, verbal, or sexual abuse of an intimate
partner (domestic violence), a child (child abuse),
or an older adult (elder abuse).
Violence causes more injury and death in children, teenagers, and
young adults than infectious disease, cancer, or birth defects. Murder,
suicide, and violent injury are the leading causes of
death in children. Violence with guns is one of the leading causes of death of
children and teenagers in the United States. About 5,000 teenagers are murdered
every year.1
If you are angry, hostile, or have violent behavior, it is
important to find help. You can learn ways to control your feelings and
actions. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline toll-free at
1-800-799-7233 or the National Department on Mental Health at 1-888-793-4357 to
help you find the help you need.
Review the Emergencies and Check Your Symptoms sections to
determine if and when you need to see a health professional.
Do you have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment?
Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.
A plan to harm another person that includes any of the following:
You have the means, such as weapons,
available to harm another person.
You have set a time and place to
harm another person.
A plan to commit
suicide that includes any of the following:
You have the means available, such as
weapons or medicines.
You have set a time and place to commit
suicide.
You think there is no other way to solve the problem or
end the pain.
Anger that occurs with chest pain that is crushing, squeezing, or
feels like a heavy weight on the chest or that occurs with any other
symptoms of a heart attack
Check Your Symptoms
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, click on the "Yes" in front of the question for information about how soon to see a health professional.
Review
health risks that may increase the seriousness of your
symptoms.
Do you have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment?
Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.
A plan to harm another person that includes any of the following:
You have the means, such as weapons,
available to harm another person.
You have set a time and place to
harm another person.
A plan to commit
suicide that includes any of the following:
You have the means available, such as
weapons or medicines.
You have set a time and place to commit
suicide.
You think there is no other way to solve the problem or
end the pain.
Anger that occurs with chest pain that is crushing, squeezing, or
feels like a heavy weight on the chest or that occurs with any other
symptoms of a heart attack
Check Your Symptoms
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, click on the "Yes" in front of the question for information about how soon to see a health professional.
Review
health risks that may increase the seriousness of your
symptoms.
Are you concerned that your behavior could become
violent?
Note:
Contact the National Department on Mental Health
toll-free at 1-888-793-4357. This agency can help you find the help you need.
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Other Symptoms to Watch For
Do you have any of the following symptoms?
Anger or hostility that is related to the use
of alcohol or drugs: Go to the topic
Alcohol and Drug Problems.
If a visit to a health professional is not needed immediately, see the Home Treatment section for self-care information.
Home Treatment
If you are angry, hostile, or violent, it is important to find
help. You can learn ways to control your feelings and actions. Contact the
National Domestic Violence Hotline toll-free at 1-800-799-7233 or the National
Department on Mental Health at 1-888-793-4357. These agencies can help you find
the help you need.
You can control your feelings of anger or hostility and avoid
violence.
Think before you act. Take time to stop and
cool down when you feel yourself becoming angry. Count to 10 or practice some
other form of mental relaxation. When you have calmed down, you will be better
able to deal with your conflict thoughtfully.
Recognize feelings
that often lead to angry outbursts. Do you have trouble dealing with feelings
of sadness, confusion, or helplessness? Identify these feelings and develop
positive ways to express them.
Come up with a reasonable
explanation of why you are angry. If a person triggers your anger, suggest to
yourself that perhaps the person is having a bad day.
Avoid situations that trigger your anger.
If you have trouble coping with heavy
traffic, try to adjust your work schedule so that you do not have to travel in
peak traffic hours.
Do errands at less-busy times if standing in
line bothers you.
Evaluate your lifestyle choices. Anger and
hostility may be a symptom of unhappy feelings or
depression about your job, your relationship, or other
aspects of your personal life.
Notice when you start to become
angry and learn to express your feelings in a positive manner. Don't just
ignore your anger until you "blow up." Express anger in a healthy way:
Give yourself a "time-out." Go someplace
quiet to allow yourself time to calm down.
Try screaming or yelling in a private place, not at other
people.
Go for a short walk or jog.
Talk about your
feelings with a friend. Avoid gossiping about the person you are upset
with.
Draw, paint, or listen to music to release the
anger.
Write in a daily journal.
Develop assertive skills to replace your
aggressive behavior. Use "I" statements, not "you" statements, to discuss your
anger. Say "I don't feel valued when my needs are not being met" instead of
"You make me mad when you are so inconsiderate."
Listen to what the
other person has to say. This can be difficult. Try to understand his or her
point of view. Seek to understand, then to be understood.
Explore
other resources that may be available through your job or your community.
Contact your human resources department to
see whether you have services available through an employee assistance
program.
Contact your local hospital, mental health facility, or
health department to see what types of programs or support groups are available
in your area.
Read books on anger and how to handle it.
Forgive and forget. Forgiving helps lower blood pressure and ease
muscle tension so you can feel more relaxed.
Take care of yourself.
Exercise regularly.
Eat a
balanced diet. Do not skip meals.
Try to get 8 hours of sleep each
night.
Limit your use of alcohol and do not use illegal
drugs.
Use the Check Your Symptoms section to evaluate your feelings, if
your anger, hostility, or violent behavior becomes more frequent or
severe.
Prevention
To prevent anger, hostility, and avoid violence:
Seek nonhostile ways to resolve conflicts.
Arguing is fine, even healthy, as long as it does not turn violent.
Prevent violence with firearms and other weapons.
Do not provide your children or teenagers
with unsupervised access to guns or other dangerous weapons.
Do not
keep firearms in your home.
If you must keep firearms in your home,
unload them and lock them up. Lock ammunition in a separate
place.
Do not keep firearms in a home where there is someone who
has a drug or alcohol problem, is prone to violent behavior, or has threatened
suicide.
Make sure that no one in your home will have access to
firearms or other weapons unless they know how to use them safely.
Take steps to lead a healthy life.
Engage in some type of regular physical
activity. Exercise is one of the best ways to release all types of stress,
including anger. A brisk walk is a good way to start. For more information, see
the topic
Fitness.
Eat a balanced diet. Remember to
drink plenty of water.
Establish a healthy sleep pattern. Try to
get the same amount of sleep each night.
Limit your intake of
alcohol and do not use other drugs, such as cocaine, crack, or
methamphetamines. Alcohol and drugs may make your feeling of anger and
hostility worse and make them even harder to handle. For more information, see
the topic
Alcohol and Drug Problems.
Think about your relationships with others.
Don't spend time with people who are apt to make you angry or who add negative
energy to your life.
Think before you act. Take time to stop and cool down when you
feel yourself becoming angry. Count to 10 or practice some other form of mental
relaxation. When you have calmed down, you will be better able to deal with
your conflict thoughtfully.
Teach your children that anger is not a solution.
Give your children consistent love and
attention.
Settle arguments without yelling or
hitting.
Do not use physical discipline, such as spanking or other
forms of
corporal punishment. If you need help controlling your
children, consider taking a course in parenting skills.
Limit your
child's exposure to TV, movies, and video games. Watch television with your
children to discuss or limit violent content.
You can help your health professional diagnose and treat your
condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:
How long have you felt you had a problem with anger, hostility,
or violent behavior?
What makes you feel better or worse? What have
you tried to control your feelings or actions?
Is your use of
alcohol or
illegal drugs leading to your feelings of anger or
hostility or violence? Are you using alcohol or drugs as an attempt at
"self-medication" to relieve your symptoms?
Have you or anyone else
in your family ever been diagnosed with depression or other mental
problems?
Do work or relationship issues contribute to your
feelings of anger? Think about these issues before your visit.
Have
you experienced any recent major life changes, such as a move, new job,
divorce, marriage, or retirement?
What medicines do you use, both
prescription and nonprescription?
Do you have access to guns or
other violent weapons?
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
(2004). WISQARS Injury Mortality Reports, 1999-2004.
Available online:
http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
(2004). WISQARS Injury Mortality Reports, 1999-2004.
Available online:
http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html.
