Common Causes of Anger

It’s completely healthy to get angry from time to time. However, anger can also be problematic, especially if it becomes uncontrolled or escalates with slight provocations.

Our team at All Day Medical Care Clinic provides behavioral health services in a compassionate, confidential, and nonjudgmental environment. When it comes to anger, we can help you recognize when it’s an issue and what’s behind your emotions.

When your anger could be an issue

Anger goes far beyond emotions. In fact, your body kicks into gear because it perceives a threat. First, it releases adrenaline — your “fight or flight” hormone. In response, your heart rate speeds up and your blood pressure increases. At the same time, your senses feel heightened, your muscles contract, and your hands and face become flushed.

At times of crisis, these responses can be a good thing and help motivate you to do something positive or stand up for yourself. The problem is when you can’t handle your anger in a healthy way by:

• Expressing your feelings in a reasonable, rational way
• Converting your anger into a constructive behavior
• Calming down and letting your feelings subside

Unfortunately, ignoring anger issues can allow them to escalate until they create extreme and regrettable outcomes to yourself or others. It may also harm your health and increase your chances of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, peptic ulcers, and stroke.

Common causes of anger

People often express their anger in different ways, but they usually share four common triggers. We organize them into buckets: frustrations, irritations, abuse, and unfairness. Things that fall into these categories include:

• Stress
• Not feeling appreciated or treated fairly
• Financial challenges
• Work or relationship issues
• Car accidents or bad traffic
• Violence or abuse

It’s also possible to have completely unique triggers based on what you’ve learned from the people and world around you. These factors depend on your personal history and whether you learned how to express your anger in healthy ways. Without those skills, anger can fester inside a person until it explodes.

On top of all that, underlying medical conditions and your brain chemistry can also play a role in how you handle anger. In fact, more than 32 mental disorders — including depression — list anger as a symptom.

Taking steps to control your anger

If you feel like your anger is an issue, we can help. The first step involves a comprehensive assessment to discuss your concerns, past experiences, and family history. Remember, this is a safe place without stigma and judgment, so you can express yourself honestly.

This process can help us identify the specific causes of your anger and develop a personalized strategy to help you take control of your emotions. Based on our findings, we could recommend a variety of solutions, such as:

• Anger management sessions
• Counseling
• Treating underlying conditions, such as depression or substance abuse

With our help, you can reduce the frequency, intensity, and negative consequences of your angry feelings.

Don’t wait to get help if your anger seems out of control or causes you to do things you regret. We can help you recognize your triggers and learn strategies to manage your responses. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with All Day Medical Care Clinic today..