Stress-related anger can affect our ability to think

By Christopher W. T. Miller, MD
The Washington Post
September 29, 2023

"Feeling excluded, devalued or disempowered by someone can draw anger. If we blame others for our emotions, we may try to make them feel uncomfortable by reasserting ourselves through strong words or actions…

"Faced with uncomfortable feelings, the pressure to get rid of them by doing something can make it hard to control our impulses and consider the consequences of our actions. One common scenario is wanting to send someone a nasty message…

"Stress levels keep us from considering alternative viewpoints. The combination is a recipe for impulsive, and possibly harmful, responses. Notably, seeing someone punished who we believe is in the wrong is experienced as rewarding or pleasurable in the brain, and that feeling may encourage action even more…

"Thinking about what lies behind anger can help us feel less at its mercy and provide insight as to what other emotions we may be trying to avoid."

Christopher W.T. Miller, MD, is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst practicing at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

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