There are many different effects emotions have on our overall health. When we are happy, little seems to be wrong and even if we are a bit on the sick side, it plays a part in how we physically feel. If we are sad, we may feel sluggish or not up to doing much. Being worried can cause people to become depressed or afraid to do things they usually enjoyed. Emotions can have some pretty adverse effects on physical and mental health.
Because the emotion of anger is linked or co-expressed with several other emotions, it’s understandable that pinpointing a singular physical or mental health manifestation is virtually impossible. Anger is probably the hardest emotion to keep under control.
Though it can be kept under wraps without much in the way of an outward display, it can also show up in outbursts, shouting matches, and sometimes even physical altercations.
Here are some examples of how anger can affect your health and why it is important to deal with issues before they get past a critical point.
Stroke/Heart Attack
You read that correctly. Getting angry can affect the most vital organ in the human body. Have you ever heard of the saying “my blood is boiling”? Well, the person who came up with that just may have been onto something. When someone gets angry and they fail to deal with the issue at hand, things tend to heat up.
Before you know it, you are reacting in a way that is not constructive to solving the real issue. When someone gets to the point of lashing out, their ability to listen or reason pretty much goes out the window.
Blood pressure goes up, and so does the chance of a heart attack. Remember this the next time you feel like giving someone an ear full; you may be doing more damage, not only to the situation but to your heart as well.
Strokes are also a major health concern for someone who tends to easily react out of anger, especially people who make it a habit. People who work stressful jobs or participate in conversations that may get heated run a greater risk of a stroke. The chances of having a stroke rise as much as three times during and shortly after an angry outburst.
There are some things you can do to avoid either of these two episodes from happening to you. It does not mean you can’t get angry; if this was a real option few of us would choose to be angry. It is how we deal with the anger that can be the ticket to not falling gravely ill during or after an argument.
Taking deep breaths, talking in a lower tone, or just walking away from a situation for a beat are a few options. The main thing is don’t lose control, but don’t hold onto whatever is bothering you either.
Anxiety and Depression
If someone keeps their anger inside and never allows themselves to deal with what is angering them it can cause anxiety levels to rise. When someone gets angry about something but fails to address the issue, it can in many cases, cause the person to feel resentment and a lack of resolution.
It is almost a snowball effect where something small you are angry about turns into a huge ordeal you are now worried about. If we would have just taken the route of solving the problem while it was manageable, things would have never gotten to the point of worrying about all the different outcomes.
In many cases, depression is linked to feelings of unresolved anger. People can become distant from others and activities they once enjoyed. Being alone seems to keep them from having to deal with issues and seems helpful at first. In reality, it is affecting their health in a negative way and drawing them away from many of the things they once found satisfying. Avoidance isn’t the answer.
Taking Care of the Issue Equals a Healthier You
Generally speaking, nobody likes to talk about their feeling all the time and few people honestly enjoy conflict. However, there will always be the ones who seem to walk around like they are perpetually mad at the world. Unfortunately, if you’re one of the easily angered or constantly angry people, this could be causing severe damage to your health and in some cases, even cause early death.
If you had to choose between talking a problem out or your family planning your memorial, which would be your preference? Remember to talk things out, take deep breaths and never keep things bottled up inside. By doing so you may seem like you have things together on the outside but doing unknown damage to the inside. Take care of yourself and release the pressure constructively.
