Who can honestly say they havent dealt with that red-hot emotion --anger? Although I would love to claim I was always laid back and cool, the truth is, a few times a year, something will churn and brew inside me until the storm rages; big time. Having spent my anger, I usually think I feel better once my calm and easygoing attitude returns. But medical science proves otherwise. I may have done some damage, not only to my relationships, but to my body as well.
Our deep mind-body connection has been recognized since ancient times. Now Dr. Redford Williams says in his book, Anger Kills, that red-hot feeling that figuratively makes our blood boil is doing our body harm. According to Redford, heres what happens to your body when youre angry: Aggressive thoughts percolate in your cerebral cortex, sending out a wakeup call to a group of hypothalamic nerve cells deeper within the brain. These cells in turn send messages even farther down in the base of our brain, where they cause outgoing nerves to signal the adrenal glands sitting on top of the kidneys to pump large doses of both adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream; as the adrenaline reaches your heart, it begins to pound faster and faster and your blood pressure rises. At the same time, the activated hypothalamic emergency center stimulates sympathetic nerves to constrict the arteries carrying blood to your skin, kidneys, and intestines. Eventually the adrenaline causes your arteries to open wide.
Whats the result? You feel a pounding heart, sweaty palms, and deep rapid breathing. What you dont feel is that the adrenaline is silently stimulating your fat cells to empty their contents in your bloodstream and that your liver is converting the fat into cholesterol. The excess cholesterol is absorbed in to the artery.
Five years down the road, if youre still experiencing frequent bouts of anger, a clot may form and life-sustaining blood will no longer be able to pass through your arteries to nourish your heart muscles. A portion of the blood-starved heart muscles will die. If this happens, you will become one of the five hundred thousand-plus Americans who had a heart attack that year.
On the emotional level, countless studies show that uncontrolled anger impairs relationships, and a considerable body of research acknowledges the negative impact of poor social interaction. For several years, for example, Dr. George Kaplan and his colleagues followed thousands of healthy residents of Alameda County, California. Those residents who had the fewest social ties, thanks to their fiery temperament, had higher death rates than those people who maintained close, satisfying and calmer relationships.
Because hostile people are likely to be more socially isolated than their less angry counterparts, a lack of social support is one pathway to disease for hostile people, but it remains to be shown how social isolation harms health. One possibility is that people lacking social ties are less apt to have good health habits and may not seek medical attention in a timely way or remember to take prescription drugs, eat healthy diets or take vitamin supplements when needed. Theres also no one around to encourage a smoker to quit.
Social isolation caused by anger may also impose increased stress that can have other biological consequences. Andrew Baum, a psychologist, found that among people living near the Three Mile Island nuclear facility in Pennsylvania after the accident, those reporting lower levels of social support excreted higher levels of stress hormones in their urine. Conversely, having a confidant with whom to share concerns could reduce the biological impact of disease.
Most of us get clear warning signs before our rage takes hold. Our fists clench, face reddens, neck tightens, heart pounds and teeth grind. But there are ways to reverse the reaction before it erupts. Here are some ways to calm down before the damage is done:
Take ten deep breaths. Make sure to exhale completely.
Remove yourself from the situation. Leave the room, go for a walk, take a bath.
Confide in a friend you trust who will enable you to speak openly and honestly.
Grab a piece of paper and write down logically whats happened and what you can do about it by taking positive, not vengeful, action.
Carry an image around that makes you feel calm, or keep one on your cell phone. It can be of your child, grandchild, pet, the ocean, your country home, a river, cloud, flower, etc.
If you have a hobby, now is the time to take yourself there. If you dont, just watching a comedy, or reading a light-hearted novel or mystery, will help take your mind off your hot temper.
Remind yourself that everything passes moment-to-moment. Your anger and the event that triggered it -- will also be a memory.
Robin Westen writes about health for national magazines.
See what others have to say about this story or leave a comment of your own.
