The Tribune

By Dr Monique Thompson

I believe that many people have heard, in one circle or another, that anger can be harmful to one’s health. This is true, but there are a few things we have to remember regarding anger. First, anger is a necessary emotion; it serves a purpose. Second, not all anger was created equal.

But whether throwing a fit of rage, or quietly seething, damage can be inflicted.

When a person becomes angry, a few physiological processes happen. The main players include the amygdala, frontal cortex and adrenal glands. Our amygdala plays a significant role in memory and emotions in the brain. It sits just below the frontal cortex, which involves problem solving, behaviour, voluntary movement, memory, decision making, and houses the “conscience”.

When we become angry, increased blood flows to the frontal cortex, which can cloud judgement. The amygdala allows us to respond to perceived emotional stressors and danger within milliseconds. One of the effects of the amygdala’s activity is the stimulation of the adrenal glands. These small, triangular glands sit on top of each kidney, and release the “stress hormones” – adrenaline and cortisol – that initiate our well-known “fight or flight” response.

When angry, our blood pressure and heart rate increases ensuring that sufficient oxygen gets to our essential organs; changes in our lungs allow us to obtain more oxygen; our body conserves energy by shutting down our digestive system so that we can have the stamina for more important tasks, and our pupils dilate so that we can let in more light and sharpen our vision. And although one’s judgement may be affected by increased blood flowing to the frontal cortex, adrenaline also improves memory, mental alertness and cognitive function which leads to, despite popular belief, better decision-making.

When upset, people may also experience an energy boost. For example, when a woman finds out in the middle of the night that her husband is having an affair, in anger, she has the wherewithal to hide the car keys and the sudden energy needed to rid the house of all of his belongings before his friend can pick him up. This can be attributed to the effects of both cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol allows glucose to enter and remain in our bloodstream, which is a source of energy. If you are upset or frightened, or threatened and need to fight for survival, all these adaptations are life-saving. However, too much of anything can be harmful.

When you hear “anger and health”, you are probably not thinking “fight or flight” response, right? I believe most people think of heart attacks and strokes as a result of anger. This is completely understandable because most studies that have been done on the effects of anger on health revolve around the cardiovascular system. With all the research, the bottom line is that the angrier you are, the more at risk you are for suffering from heart disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes. When upset, blood pressure goes up, arterial tension increases, fatty acids initially circulating in the bloodstream to provide the body with energy gradually begin to clog arteries leading to a condition known as atherosclerosis. If you have pre-existing heart issues like atherosclerosis or angina, or a history of a heart attack or stroke, and struggle with anger issues, learning to manage it will prove beneficial, even life-saving to you.

I want to digress a bit and mention that the list of why people may always seem angry can be endless. From work related stress, to a history of abuse, financial strain, or a less thought of reason, heavy metal toxicity.

The “mad hatter”, brought on by mercury toxicity is a very real issue that individuals with chronic mercury poisoning can experience. It is characterised by emotional instability, which can be manifested as a lack of self-control, or fits of anger, with violent, irrational behaviour. Because mercury has an affinity for the nervous system and can affect the brain, other symptoms of toxicity include personality changes (irritability, shyness, nervousness), tremors, constriction or narrowing of the visual field, deafness, muscle incoordination, loss of sensation, difficulties with memory, inability to concentrate, lethargy/drowsiness, insomnia, mental depression, manic depression, despondency, withdrawal, suicidal tendencies, loss of self-confidence, indecision, and an exaggerated response to stimuli. I know, right! Who would’ve thought?

The more common immediate effects of anger include increased heart rate, tense muscles, and headache. In my example last week, I believe the headache I experienced was from increased blood pressure. In the long run, however, and sometimes in the short term, the body’s automatic response to anger can weaken the immune system and lead to several other health problems including indigestion, insomnia, anxiety (especially as it relates to the amygdala and hippocampus), depression, acne, eczema, and migraines. From an emotional standpoint, in the long run, anger can breed hostility, contempt and bitterness, and other toxic emotions. This is where avoidance and anger management become so crucial – solutions and protective factors that we must explore.

• Dr Monique Thompson is the founder of Cornerstone Healing Institute, an integrative family medicine clinic, and can be contacted at 356-0083 with any questions/comments. Visit www.chibahamas.com for more information. This article is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition.