Why Anger is Different from Other Emotions

By Joanne Royer

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Posted: December 15, 2017

Of all the emotions, anger is perhaps the one that most people have the hardest time dealing with. That’s most likely because anger is not like the other emotions. It is unique. In fact, a 2017 survey by the Mental Health Foundation of 2000 people found that 28% are sometimes worried about the level of anger that they feel. While feeling anger can have negative consequences, anger, in general, can move us toward a happier and healthier life. Here are 5 ways anger is not like other emotions.

It’s Motivating

Anger gives us energy. And while other emotions tend to make us withdraw from others and life, anger causes us to want to engage. Anger is the motivator that gets us to interact with other people, perhaps those we feel are negatively impacting our life. Anger is what often catapults us into social situations and events that are necessary to bring about change. Anger is one activating emotion.

Anger is Complicated

Anger is not a singular experience, but rather a grouping of feelings. When we become angry, it is because we first feel something else: marginalized, hurt, disrespected, vulnerable, or neglected. In this way, anger is much more complicated than other emotions.

It Yearns to be Expressed

Other emotions can simply be felt silently, but not anger. It wants to be famous, a star, something that everyone knows about. Anger insists that it be expressed out loud. Unfortunately, most people misdirect their anger, erupting at the wrong times and at the wrong people.

It Can Be Turned Inward or Outward

While we are directing that anger outwardly, and sometimes toward the wrong people, we can just as easily direct it inward toward ourselves. We generally don’t even realize we are doing it until we have done emotional damage.

Anger is Hazardous to Your Health

While feeling sad is uncomfortable, being angry is downright bad for your health. Research has discovered that individuals prone to anger are more at risk for heart attacks and cancer.

READY FOR SOME GREAT NEWS ABOUT ANGER?

First some schooling: It's important to know the difference between a feeling (i.e, anger) and a sensation. Sensations are involuntary and start in the body. Feelings or emotions start in the brain and are a vibration we experience in the body. If you've been reading some of my blogs you then know that feelings are caused by what we think. Yes, I know. Your thought bubble is saying "I feel because something happened". WRONG. You feel because something happened and you had a thought about it. You can't have a feeling without first having a thought. Feeling anger? Take pen and paper in hand and start writing down what you are thinking. That's the first step. You may become more mindful of how a seemingly innocent thought you started with gets tweaked by that critical inner voice. Knowing how she's talking to you starts the process of re-training your thinking and kicking her to the curb! Want to get started on learning what step 2 is? You can download my free e-book, "5 Initial Steps Toward Thought Transformation" from my website. We will cover thoughts, feelings, and actions. If you want to put both feet in and start tackling some of your nagging, uncomfortable feelings, then let's chat. Your no-cost, 30-minute experience coaching call is waiting. Grab it!