What are the long term effects of frequent or chronic anger?
Frequent or chronic anger can have serious
consequences for our health. In the long-term these include:
- hypertension (high blood pressure)
- increased cholesterol levels
- damaged or blocked arteries
- aggravated heart disease
- increased susceptibility to infection, due to a depressed immune system
- longer time to recover from major traumas to the body such as operations or accidents
This happens because of the biological responses that are triggered when we are angry:
- extra adrenaline is secreted
- the heart beats more rapidly and blood pressure rises
- breathing becomes faster
- the sympathetic nervous system diverts blood from the liver, stomach and intestines to the heart, central nervous system and the muscles
- cortisol production is increased, depressing the immune system
- men have an increased supply of testosterone
This leads to
internal feelings:
- of energy and warmth
- an urge to shout and move quickly and forcefully
Other people observe:
- rapid breathing and our eyes open widely with dilated pupils
- our facial colour reddening, but perhaps then turning pale
- our voice being louder and our speech quicker
- our movements being quicker and our muscles tense (face contorted, fists clenched, shoulders hunched)
This state of heightened arousal puts great strain on the body. It
read more
