One of the best anger management tips is to express hostility or angry feelings appropriately. Managing anger is healthy for both men and women -- whether the anger or negative feelings stem from experiences, hormones, or genetics.
Where Angry Feelings Come From
University of Pittsburgh researchers found that anger and hostility in women could be caused by biological factors, such as an alteration in a serotonin receptor gene. This discovery is important because it could help doctors predict predispositions to increased levels of anger and hostility. Low serotonin levels can also lead to depression and obsessive compulsive tendencies -- and possibly even anxiety disorders.
Anger management is the best way to deal with feelings of hostility, aggression and frustration. Learning healthy ways to express anger is physically and emotionally beneficial, especially for angry women.
Suppressing Angry Feelings
Hostile women who hold in their anger and feel self-conscious in public are at a greater risk for atherosclerosis (caused by thickened carotid arteries). Cardiovascular health is negatively affected by unexpressed anger and hostility, according to University of Pittsburgh researchers (in a different study). Unexpressed anger increases the risk for coronary heart disease in otherwise healthy men and women, which is why anger management tips are important.
Feeling chronically hostile, aggressive, and angry also leads to higher blood pressure, higher heart rate, and increased cholesterol levels. People who report high levels of hostility also have higher levels of stress – definitely not a healthy thing! Anger management tips can lead to a healthier, happier life.
Surprisingly, one study found that men are more likely to hold their anger in than women. They, especially, would benefit from learning healthy ways to express anger.
Anger Management Research Shows Different Results
A different study in Canada claimed that hostility in women does not affect their long-term health – but hostility in men does. This study found that regardless of how hostile women were, their health was consistent over a four year period. Men's health declined when their hostility levels increased.
Why the different results? Many factors are possible: hostility in women could be defined differently, different health measures may have been used, and personality types vary. There may even be geographical variations in both cardiovascular health and appropriate expressions of anger. Perhaps some communities are more conducive to anger management tips or healthy ways to express anger.
Further, it's not uncommon for different studies to yield different results regarding anger management – which is why study after study is conducted to determine what causes angry feelings.
Anger Management Tips
Regardless of how unexpressed anger affects your health, it's important to get it out. Learning healthy ways to express anger can strengthen relationships and improve communication skills – if you do it right (which can be difficult!). People may become offended, hurt, defensive or upset when you share angry feelings, even if you apply healthy anger management tips. People may feel blamed, inferior, or guilty.
Healthy Ways to Express Anger or Hostility:
- Share your angry feelings when you're calm, not furious.
- Be tactful in expressing your angry feelings.
- Use "I feel" instead of "You are" or "You did".
- Refuse to criticize or blame.
- Talk with the person about how to prevent future occurrences.
- Exercise or write to release angry feelings.
- Let it go. Don't hold a grudge.
Unexpressed anger can cause depression, which is why anger management tips are important. Accepting and expressing angry feelings is one of the healthiest things you can do for your emotional and physical health.
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Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen - Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen is a full-time writer and blogger in Vancouver, BC, and the creator of the Quips and Tips blog series.
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