Anger and Depression - Discussion

Anger and depression are often referred to as two faces of the same coin because, while they seem very different, both are reactions to one’s inability to cope or deal with challenging, unpleasant, or difficult situations and experiences.

How Could Anger Lead To or Cause Depression?

Two of the classic symptoms of depression are high irritability and frustration, both of which are a direct result of some hidden angst that is harbored from a relatively long time ago. When people do not express their emotions, especially negative emotions, they build up and manifest in the form of anger or depression.

Children often express anger when they do not get their way, but their disappointment is often expressed in the form of crying or throwing a tantrum, etc. For adults, however, public displays of negative emotions are considered embarrassing and people tend to suppress and hide these emotions. These start piling on at the subconscious level and when the body cannot take anymore of them, they will manifest in various forms. One such form of suppressed anger is depression; this is probably not a very obvious anger and depression connection.

For example, a wife who has been subject to domestic violence for a long time but does not find the courage to express her anger or disgust about it, may well end up suffering from major depression. On the flip side, people who can lash back, settle scores, and get it out of their chest are at a lesser risk of becoming depressed.

Therefore, both anger and depression are ultimately two methods of coping with various life situations. While anger is a direct and open confrontation of despair, depression is an indirect manifestation of despair. Ultimately, both anger and depression are related to feelings of helplessness and inability to deal with stress effectively.

Expressing Anger Instead of Suppressing It

While anger is generally considered a negative emotion, it is healthy to express it in moderation when one feels strongly about an issue, or even better still, try and channel this strong emotion in a constructive and productive form.

Unexpressed anger builds within and creates a lot of internal turmoil and destabilizes the emotional balance or equilibrium. People who suppress anger will not be peaceful and may carry a heavy negative vibe around them. Ultimately, they may release this anger on unsuspecting people who will have to bear the brunt of it.

In the process of suppressing anger, the system is filled with emotional toxicity which is harmful not only to the person, but also to all the people in this person’s vicinity. Just like how the physical body has to undergo detoxification to flush out toxins, it is important to clear the mind of all negative baggage, especially anger and suspicion. These two negative emotions have the ability to grow exponentially and create a lot of damage to the person experiencing it as well as the rest who are subject to it.

Also, adults who suppress their anger may one day experience boil-over point, where they get very angry and are not able to control it. These people often get violent and involved in physically attacking and abusing others, which can cause a lot of pain, hurt, and disturbance both emotionally and physically. However, once the anger subsides, the person who lashed out at others is going to feel remorseful, guilty, and depressed as a consequence of his or her own actions.

Different people have different ways of coping with anger, and for those who cannot control their anger, it is a little dangerous because it can cause damage to everyone involved, leading to broken relationships, accidents, loss of life, physical trauma and injury, etc. All of these can contribute significantly to causing severe depression that will require clinical assistance at the earliest.

On the other hand, people who suppress their anger for very long, too, can lose it completely once they let go. These people, too, can become extremely harmful.

In short, learn to healthily express your anger and depression may be kept at bay; on the other hand, suppress your anger and depression may well be the unexpected and unwanted result.

Other Negative Effects of Suppressing Anger

It is not just about anger and depression - there are other possible undesirable effects of suppressing anger, too. Persons who frequently suppress their anger might in the process cultivate negative forms of releasing their frustration, such as substance abuse, drinking, or excessive TV watching and eating, all of which are extremely harmful.

We spoke about how if one suppresses anger and depression could well result. It should also be noted that people who suppress anger often fall ill and constantly suffer from various physical ailments like migraines, acidity, ulcers, and mood swings.

Dealing With and Channeling Anger

Therefore, it is important to channel anger in the right way, learning to overcome it and developing better coping mechanisms to deal with anger. Some ways of successfully channeling negative energy is to indulge in physical activities like jogging, walking, kick boxing and yoga, as well as through meditation.

Emotionally, people should learn to become flexible in their approach towards various people, situations, and outcomes. Once people learn to let go and have lesser and lesser expectations from the abovementioned, life becomes much easier and dealing with challenges becomes more straightforward. Fear and darkness should be replaced with joy and light, and learning to appreciate life in the shape and form it presents itself will calm people down considerably.

While anger is a normal and natural reaction, it needs to be expressed in a healthy manner so that it does not cause any emotional or physical damage to person and property. It would be excellent if one can express anger in a manner that is not hurtful to anyone. Otherwise, the person in question and everyone around is going to get frustrated and depressed.

Conclusion on Anger and Depression

Being able to effectively deal with anger and to express it via the right channels is very important. As mentioned earlier, fail to properly handle anger and depression as well as other conditions is quite a likely result. If you have problems with anger, either because you frequently suppress it or you tend to blow up, then you may want to learn better coping mechanisms, or even to seek help.

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