Anger is the source of many legal problems and many psychophysical diseases such as headaches, high blood pressure and chronic pain. Science has just begun to recognize the contribution anger makes to these and other diseases. Unresolved anger often causes a person to turn violent, and when coupled with workplace and family stress, emotional, physical and spiritual health suffer. Many things can set off anger feelings. Worrying about personal problems or recalling events that were tragic or made you mad can also touch off anger feelings.
Anger is expressed in three ways.
Anger can be directed outward, toward other people or objects in the environment. You might feel like yelling, screaming, punching a person, smashing or destroying something, or throwing a chair or book across the room. These are destructive expressions of anger. What makes them destructive is that instead of solving the problem, they usually escalate the situation and make the problem worse. A recent study showed that, contrary to popular belief, venting anger through physical aggression, such as by punching a bag or pillow, did not decrease anger but actually increased aggressive behavior.