Anger and Our Heart

The ability to produce, respond to and experience emotions is part of what makes us uniquely human. Anger is an emotion just like other emotions such as fear, sadness and happiness. It is essential to recognise that anger is a normal reaction. However, it becomes a problem when it is excessive and starts to affect how we function.

Prolonged stress and difficulty coping with work, studies, or relationships often lead to anger. Developing unhealthy coping strategies such as resorting to alcohol or smoking, further exacerbates the situation. Anger often presents as irritability – an individual may easily lose their temper over small things and may snap at family or friends. In the worst-case scenario, it may result in violence.

Sometimes, anger may be a symptom of a mental disorder such as depression or anxiety disorder. As a psychiatrist, I have seen quite a number of patients who, on the surface, would present with significant anger. However, once the layer of anger is peeled off, what remains is a depressed or anxious individual.

When we are angry, our body including our heart, goes through certain changes. Our hearts beat faster, our blood pressure increases, our muscles tense up and our faces might flush due to an increase in blood flow. There would be changes in our mind, as our thoughts revolve around the subject of our anger. In worse cases, this may result in an intense preoccupation and even affect our ability to function.

Normally, after a few hours or a few days for some, perhaps after a good sleep, most of us would feel better and the anger would dissipate. However, if these emotions persist, that’s when it becomes problematic. Consider your body to be a car and your heart to be the car’s engine. An individual with continuous anger issue is similar to a car accelerating nonstop for days. Eventually, the engine would not be able to withstand the prolonged stress and would fail. Imagine the stress our hearts go through in such situations.

A recent study done in Sweden showed that anger might contribute to the development of certain heart diseases, e.g., heart failure and abnormal heart rhythm. In another study, anger was significantly associated with a propensity to develop heart attacks. There was also an association between anger and stroke. Many such studies show the impact of excessive anger on our heart health.

Anger could also arise after being diagnosed with a heart condition, which may worsen the prognosis and lead to a poor quality of life. Individuals could be angry with themselves for their heart condition and may blame themselves. They may be angry about their failing health and respond with anger. Although we are aware that a healthy diet and regular exercise are crucial for our health, being compelled to give up on our comfortable, albeit unhealthy, lifestyle may be distressing and anger-provoking. In addition, depression and anxiety disorders are also common in patients with heart conditions, which may present as anger as well.

The good news is that often, our anger is just normal anger and does not require any specific treatment; it improves over time. Adopting a healthy coping strategy to manage stress, such as exercising regularly, eating healthily, having good sleep hygiene, leaning on spirituality, going for morning walks, highlighting work difficulties to our supervisor or sharing our stress with a friend, would go a long way in helping us curb our anger.

However, if you notice that you tend to keep losing your temper, if it is prolonged and affecting your life, it is important to seek professional help. Anger issues can be treated, and you do not need to suffer in silence. Inform your doctor at the polyclinic or your general practitioner. You can also seek support from community service agencies, such as the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH) which has been supporting mental wellness for all in Singapore since 1968.

Resources

SAMH Insight Centre
Provides counselling services
Toll-Free Helpline: 1800 283 7019
T: 6283 1576
E: counselling@samhealth.org.sg

SAMH Creative Hub
Activities include creative therapeutic interventions, individual art therapy and counselling with creative approaches for all ages.
T: 6344 8451
E: creativehub@samhealth.org.sg

Article is contributed by Dr Raja Velloo, Psychiatrist at the Institute of Mental Health and Board Member of the Singapore Association for Mental Health.