Tackling anger could benefit us all

Anger’s a necessary and unavoidable part of life – and getting angry from time to time is part of being human, and can even contribute positively to life and survival. In evolutionary terms, we developed the capacity to anger to protect ourselves and the people we love, and to give us the energy and impetus to achieve and to thrive.

But anger comes with a long list of downsides that affect individuals, and our society.

Intense, frequent anger, experienced inwardly and/or expressed outwardly, is linked with poorer physical health. It can lead to poor decision-making, chronic risk-taking, addictions, and social isolation.  In a survey for the Mental Health Foundation [1] people report that anger is the emotion that causes more suffering than any other to personal relationships – and many of us perceive that in general, society is becoming angrier.

Getting help with problem anger – the sort of anger that spills over into relationships, working life, and which leads to misery and inability to enjoy life – not only benefits the person who ‘owns’ the anger, but their family and friends too.

Neglected experience?

Anger tends to be under-researched and under-treated as an emotional or mental health concern. Research papers on anger are far outweighed by ones studying depression, or anxiety.

Why is this? After all, out in the real world, problem anger appears pretty common; 32 per cent of respondents in the Mental Health Foundation’s survey say they’re close to someone who has trouble controlling their anger, and almost one in 10 says difficulty in control applies to them personally. One in four are worried about how angry they feel at times.

Part of the reason is that our society tends to disapprove of overt aggression, and when aggression becomes violent or disturbing perpetrators will find themselves judged, and in time, with a criminal record. The underlying anger that spurs this behaviour is either ignored, or else it becomes judged as a part of the aggression – so it’s ‘bad’ rather than ‘mad’ or ‘sad’. It’s not seen as something worthy of careful, concerned attention and possible management with or without actual therapy. It also provokes fear and avoidance – even in mental healthcare professionals.

What helps?

Despite the lack of study, there is enough work to demonstrate that anger management programmes can be very effective. Individuals can seek treatment one to one with a trained therapist, or there are group interventions which can work, too.

Both CBT and mindfulness have been shown to help, and there are some interventions that improve recognition of anger problems by health and social care professionals. More of this would enable clients to get the appropriate help, and could also work as a prevention, if the screening takes place before anger has led to worsening relationships, loss of employment or criminal acts.

Reference

1. Boiling Point: problem anger and what we can do about it. Mental Health Foundation.