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Calming Anger: Turning Heat into Healthy Action
By Sofia Bianca Fulgham
Anger is a natural emotion that we all experience as time goes by. We often feel anger when we feel invalidated or frustrated or think there is injustice in some things in our everyday lives, such as when someone tries to cut in line while we are waiting at the back. It is very typical to feel anger, as this can be helpful for us sometimes to express our feelings adequately and to avoid bottling them up. However, frequent and unhealthy control of anger may cause different harmful consequences, not just for ourselves but also for our society.
Controlling anger may benefit us in different ways—it could help us physically, mentally, and socially. You can express your anger without it having to be destructive. If anger is harnessed correctly, it might be a tool to develop your personal growth positively. How can we be able to transform anger into a healthy action? Let us know more about the science behind this emotion.
In Science, anger forms a part of our instinct that fights off threats. It is also rooted in the brain's reward system, the mesocorticolimbic circuit. This circuit is responsible for controlling our behavior and storing our memories (National Library of Medicine, 2021). When something that mismatches with what we expect or something unfair happens to us, the brain's reward system triggers the small almond-shaped region in our brain called the amygdala. The amygdala causes the adrenal glands to release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which fuel our anger. However, the part of our brain called the prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making and reasoning. This region regulates our emotional surge when we are angry—allowing us to be more considerate and thoughtful.
Furthermore, according to Cornwell (2024), there are a few ways that uncontrolled anger, often known as anger issues, may damage our health. The first one is that it can stress out our hearts and might cause unpleasant outcomes such as heart attacks and other heart diseases, as the adrenaline causes our heart to pump way more blood. Disrupt digestion can also be an effect of anger.
One role of our autonomic nervous system—which regulates involuntary bodily processes—is to regulate digestion. This means that if this region is stressed, it may lead to negative symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract, such as an upset stomach and abdominal pain.
Therefore, these are some ways to use our anger to fuel our self-development: The first is to find what triggers our emotions. It is to pause and ask yourself, “What exactly caused this feeling?” With these, you can prevent impulsive actions as you understand their root causes. Next, practice deep breathing exercises to lower your stress hormones and cool your brain down. Also, instead of reacting impulsively, you can use your anger as a motivation to address the current issue adequately—for example, if you get into an argument with someone, you can talk to them and fix the problem before it escalates.
Psychologists also advise using the method of cognitive reframing, according to Morin (2023). Instead of viewing it as a personal attack, you may interpret it as a challenge or an opportunity to improve or grow—in other words, it is being optimistic.
To sum it up, anger is not a harmful emotion as we all perceive it—only if it is handled or managed thoughtfully. Regulating our emotions can be a great lesson to help us shape ourselves. It may be inevitable, but we are accountable for how we respond to it. By being mindful and applying the abovementioned strategies, you can turn the heat of anger into a healthy action.
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