While anger is a normal and natural human emotion, it can become a problem if it’s felt too intensely, lasts too long, leads to aggressive behavior, or interferes with your quality of life.
You may feel angry much of the time, or your anger might be out of proportion to the situation.
During episodes of anger, you might experience increased heart rate, sweating, hot flashes, or tension in your body.
You may yell, argue, fight, or even become physically violent when you’re angry.
Your anger might cause problems in your relationships with friends, family, or colleagues.
Anger can sometimes lead to trouble with the law or other authority figures.
After an anger episode, you may feel guilty or regret your actions.
You may find it hard to relax or calm yourself down when you’re angry.
Periods of irritability and high energy, known as manic or hypomanic episodes, can be confused with problem anger. However, these episodes also involve other symptoms like decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, and risky behavior.
This involves recurrent episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior or angry verbal outbursts, usually in response to minor provocations. Unlike problem anger, these outbursts are disproportionately intense compared to the situation.
Individuals with ADHD can sometimes have problems with emotional regulation, including anger. However, ADHD also involves symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
In children and teenagers, frequent and persistent anger can be a sign of conduct disorder, but this also involves a pattern of violating the basic rights of others and societal norms.
This disorder is characterized by a pattern of intense and unstable relationships, mood swings, and impulsive behavior, and it can include anger, but there are many other symptoms involved.
If you or a loved one are struggling with anger, it’s important to know that help is available. A mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, can provide strategies and treatments to help manage anger in a healthier way.
Remember, it’s okay to seek help, and doing so is a sign of strength, not weakness. Let’s work together to ensure your emotions are serving you, not hindering you. Here’s to your journey towards better emotional health and wellbeing.
