Anger Suppressed Can Lead To Stress – But Here's A Healthy Way To Cope With It
- Feb 24, 2023
- 5 min read
Written by: Sam Rehan, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Angry behavior is a common problem, not only in intimate relationships but also in workplace communications. When you vent your ire, it can impair your judgment and damage your connections to those around you. However, did you know that suppressing anger can be harmful to your physical and mental health?
All of our emotions are messages to us. Anger lets us know that a situation is upsetting or unjust. It’s perfectly normal to feel angry when you've been mistreated or wronged, but it becomes a problem when you express it in a way that harms you or others.
People react to feelings of anger in different ways. Some express it verbally (for example, by shouting, arguing, or yelling), while others do so physically (by throwing things, breaking objects or getting into fights). Some people, however, choose to suppress their anger rather than letting it out.
When you experience anger but do not express it, either constructively or destructively, that's called suppressing it. You may then convert the suppressed emotion or redirect it, for example, by holding it in, not thinking about it, or choosing to focus on something positive instead. If your anger cannot be released outwardly, it may turn inward, affecting your physical and mental health.
On a physical level, suppressing emotions such as anger can lead to bodily stress. When dealing with anger, the body uses valuable energy to accelerate heart rate and increase blood pressure and breathing rate. Studies show that when we get frustrated, our bodies release negative hormones connected to stress. As a result, our future emotional health will suffer. Ongoing, unmanaged anger can adversely affect countless chemical processes in the body that allow normal life functions (metabolism). Short- and long-term health problems associated with unmanaged anger include digestion issues such as abdominal pain, insomnia, depression, high blood pressure, skin problems, strokes, and heart attacks.
When we repress our anger, we can become agitated, frustrated, anxious, and irritable, creating even more stress in our lives. Some of us may feel numb, and some might substitute other emotions in place of anger, such as sadness, depression and guilt.
Holding our anger inside can also lead to unhealthy emotional expressions, such as passive-aggressive behavior and hostility. This may be why people who suppress their anger often have problems with relationships, according to the American Psychological Association. Suppressing our emotions can keep us from learning how to express ourselves in critical moments, or when we experience emotions with greater intensity than usual. As a result, we may act in ways that conflict with our personal values, thus impacting our boundaries and ability to be genuine.
Past trauma that lingers in your body can create emotional symptoms such as anger. That said, suppressed anger and its associated feelings can be released through a variety of modalities and body-based exercises. Below is one method.
Self-soothing
Self-soothing consists of any behavior used by an individual to manage and restore balance to their own emotional state after an acute stress response such as anger. However, some common self-soothing behaviors, like reaching for an alcoholic drink or a tub of ice cream, can cause additional problems. In times of anger, here is a better way to self-soothe to support and calm by using touch:
Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. The gentle pressure on the heart space and the belly stimulates the release of oxytocin, a feel-good hormone that has the power to regulate our emotional responses and reduce stress.
Focus your attention on the rising and falling of your breath to bring you in and anchor you to the present moment.
Release the energy of your anger by allowing yourself to experience the emotion with compassion and love, not guilt. Say out loud or silently: "I choose to feel my anger." Repeat for anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes.
Continue to sit and feel your breath and your hands touching your heart and belly. Sink into sensations of relief and relaxation.
You may also find it helpful to consult a healthcare professional if you regularly suppress your anger instead of expressing it in a healthy way. As humans, we all experience anger. It's a very useful tool that serves to protect us when our boundaries are crossed or motivate us to act when injustice occurs. Would you associate me with anger? You probably know me from my upbeat positive attitude and my laughter yoga work. BUT I FEEL ANGRY TOO... daily in fact. What you don't know is that I work on my anger every day. It frees me up to better manage and cope with life. I have supported many others in managing their anger.
Would you like to reduce your level of anger naturally? Create more space for more positive emotions? Get in touch: hello@SamRehan.com | SamRehan.com
Sam Rehan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sam Rehan is a high-impact well-being motivator, wellness professional, author and speaker with an exceptional track record. Sam has been a corporate trainer for 21 years and has over 30+ years of expertise working in everything from corporate training and management to health, science, and scientific research, to holistic therapies and cognitive coaching.
Sam’s motto is: Be Well. Work Well. Lead Well. She currently helps teams and individuals in high-pressure environments to reduce anxiety, accelerate thinking, and integrate sustainable self-care techniques into their lives. Sam’s gentle, nurturing, yet highly transformative methods are all backed by real science with a focus on long-term success. She not only teaches these methods to her clients but lives and models them in her own life as well.
At age 50, Sam continues to teach happy aging and improved wellness with her trademark approach, utilising the lightness of laughter, powerful relaxation techniques, and her magnetic energy and enthusiasm – all of which are on clear display in her breakthrough book, Laugh More: Soar In Your Health, Career and Relationships.
References:
Wilkowski, B. M., and Robinson, M. D. (2010).The anatomy of anger: an integrative cognitive model of trait anger and reactive aggression. J. Person. 78, 9–38. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2009.00607.x
Dreisoerner, A., Junker, N. M., Schlotz, W., Heimrich, J., Bloemeke, S., Ditzen, B., & van Dick, R. (2021). Self-soothing touch and being hugged reduce cortisol responses to stress: A randomized controlled trial on stress, physical touch, and social identity. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 8.
Uvnäs-Moberg,K., Handlin, L., & Petersson, M., (2015). Self-soothing behaviors with particular reference to oxytocin release induced by non-noxious sensory stimulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1529.
https://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control Accessed 21 February 2023
