Tempering your temper: Reining in anger before it controls you

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Anger is a natural emotion. People feel it all the time, often when they would rather not. Of course, like most emotions, anger should be expressed as other emotions should (indeed, the American Psychological Association emphasizes how doing otherwise is harmful). With this in mind, people ought to let anger pass, or divert or express it in positive ways.

This emotion, unpleasant as it may be, is a natural response to threats and irritants, and leads to many heightened (though sometimes negative) feelings and behaviors, which in some cases can allow people to take up arms and defend themselves. A little anger in one’s life, therefore, is necessary in survival situations.

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However, while psychologists point out the dangers of bottling up anger, expressing anger through aggression only serves to heighten feelings of anger and do nothing for the well-being of the angry person. Moreover, such a mentality is often used as a license to cause harm to others, and can be detrimental to the mental health of the aggressor in the long run. There is a reason why Christian philosophers have named uncontrolled anger—wrath—a cardinal sin.

While it is true that anger is natural and not necessarily harmful, acting on it is often against laws, mores and traditions, and common sense. People should make it a habit to discover ways to channel anger in less aggressive or destructive ways. This pamphlet from the American Psychological Association provides more information on the matter.

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