Why Am I So Angry?

If you find yourself wondering why you’re so angry, it’s time to explore the triggers, feelings, experiences, and frustrations that might lie behind it all. A good place to start is the quiz in this article, which also discusses anger’s possible causes, its effects on behavior, and some strategies to cope with it.

Take the Anger Test

This short, free 21-item test measures a variety of symptoms and feelings associated with anger, such as anger about the present and future, anger towards the self, and hostile feelings toward others.

Symptoms of Anger

Anger can manifest in many ways. It’s one of six primary human emotions, but when it occurs inappropriately, too often, or too intensely, it might be a problem. Here are a few things to watch for:

• Strong physical feelings of anger, including increased heart rate and muscle tension
• Irritability, grumpiness, impatience, and hostility
• Angry feelings that negatively affect your relationships
• Physical aggression or violence
• Threats, name-calling, or yelling
• Inability to control anger
• Reckless behavior in response to anger
• Avoidance of situations that are likely to trigger anger
• Excessive negative thoughts
• Repression of angry feelings
• Sudden mood shifts that lead to overwhelming feelings of rage
• The silent treatment or withdrawal

Why Anger Happens

Anger is often a response to stressful events or threats that trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response. An area of the brain, the amygdala, stimulates the hypothalamus, triggering the release of hormones that prepare the body to flee or stay and deal with the threat.1

Some of the many threats and stressors that can cause anger include:

• Physical threats to bodily safety
• Disrespect
• Unfair treatment
• Interpersonal conflicts
• Problems at work
• Difficult life events
• Memories of problems or trauma
• Feelings of powerlessness
• Chronic stress or anxiety
• Substance use

Certain personality traits, health conditions, and ways of interpreting events can predispose people to anger. These perceptions are influenced by factors such as genetics, upbringing, experiences, stress levels, and personality. Certain cognitive biases can also affect how people view events in their lives.

Experiences and Upbringing

Childhood experiences and parenting can play an important role in how people experience, express, and cope with anger in adulthood. For example, if you grew up in a home where adult caregivers regularly modeled unhealthy expressions of anger, you may be more likely to express your anger in distressing or unhelpful ways in adulthood.

You may have learned that expressing your anger through outbursts of verbal aggression or even violence is acceptable. In many cases, you may not have ever learned the coping skills and emotional self-regulation strategies to deal with feelings of frustration and anger.2

Instead of dealing with the things that bother you, you might allow them to fester until you reach your breaking point.

Anger and Mental Health Conditions

Although your past might affect your responses and coping mechanisms, many aspects of your current circumstances shape how you experience frustration and anger. Certain mental health conditions, for example, may influence how often you experience anger and how you react to these emotions.

Anger can be a symptom of different mental health conditions listed in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5), the tool that clinicians use to diagnose different mental disorders. Here are some of the mental health conditions that can contribute to feeling angry all the time.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Although anger itself is not a distinct condition, repeated episodes of aggressive or violent behavior can indicate intermittent explosive disorder (IED). This condition is characterized by outbursts of extreme, disproportionate anger that happen with little or no warning, last less than 30 minutes, and are accompanied by behaviors such as throwing objects, fighting, arguing, or engaging in physical violence.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that causes symptoms related to hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The condition is most often diagnosed in childhood, but symptoms frequently persist into adulthood and affect adults differently.

Symptoms of anger, including irritability and physical aggression, can sometimes occur in children and adults with the condition.4

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme changes in mood. Mood episodes can swing between depression and mania, which can result in irritability, agitation, anger, and recklessness.5

Depression

Depression can cause sadness and hopelessness, but irritability and anger are also common. Other symptoms of depression include loss of interest in normal activities, sleep disturbances, lack of energy, and feelings of worthlessness.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that are distressing and disruptive. Research suggests that anger is a common symptom of the condition.6

Substance Use

Alcohol and other substances affect the brain in various ways, including reducing inhibition and increasing the likelihood of impulsivity.

According to a report published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 15% of robberies, 26% of assaults, and 37% of sexual assaults are committed by people who have been drinking.7

The Impact of Uncontrolled Anger

Constant anger can have serious consequences. Try as you might to suppress your feelings, they can eventually lead to outbursts of anger that might harm you or others.

Suppressed or otherwise poorly managed anger leads to increased stress, triggering the release of hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine. It also generates a stress response, resulting in increased blood pressure and heart rate, along with other physiological changes.

Prolonged and repeated exposure to these physical changes can lead to lasting effects on health and well-being. Some of the consequences of always feeling angry include an increased risk of:9

• Anxiety
• Cardiovascular problems
• Depression
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Sleep difficulties
• Stomach upset

Your anger likely affects other people, too. This can lead to conflicts, poor interpersonal relationships, social difficulties, problems at work, isolation, and loneliness.

How to Cope With Anger

Try these strategies for coping with and relieving your rage.

• Find the cause: In a journal, note the time and circumstances whenever you feel angry. Over time, you might spot patterns or triggers.
• Exercise: Physical activity can help you channel your frustration and help relieve angry moods.10 It’s also great for overall mental health, helping you cope with stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Relax: When you feel anger building, look for ways to defuse it before it intensifies. Relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness, and progressive muscle relaxation can help induce a relaxation response to combat stress and anger.
• Try cognitive reframing: Sometimes, anger results from your perception of a situation. If you focus on negative thoughts or look at a situation in a biased way, you’re more likely to feel angry about it. Cognitive reframing involves changing how you look at situations, often by considering alternatives or actively challenging your interpretations.

Building effective communication skills can help, too. Instead of letting feelings fester and grow, talk with the people involved. Give yourself time to organize your thoughts, and then discuss the issue calmly to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution.