What Are The Dangers Of Suppressed Anger
Suppressed, unexpressed anger can be an underlying cause of anxiety and depression. Anger that is not appropriately expressed can disrupt relationships, affect thinking and behavior patterns, and create a variety of physical problems. Chronic anger has been linked to health issues such as high blood pressure, heart problems, headaches, skin disorders, and digestive problems. In addition, poorly managed anger can be linked to problems such as alcohol and substance abuse, crime, emotional and physical abuse, and other violent behavior.
Be Alert To Small Changes
Depression can come on slowly, almost imperceptibly. You look for all types of other explanationswe just had a new baby, its a tough time at work, its a phase, Scott-Lowe notes. It can take a while to see the pattern or to be ready to accept that depression might be the cause.
Often its up to the non-depressed spouse to take the lead, Walfish says. The illness itself often prevents depressed people from recognizing that somethings wrong or seeking help. They may feel too lethargic or withdrawn or may think they can fix it alone.
If you notice that your spouse isnt acting, feeling, or thinking as he or she normally does, ask yourself if it could be depression, but dont stop there. Depression may be the reason your spouse is working extremely long hours, drinking too much, using recreational drugs, or looking for thrills in risky activities. It can also look different in men and women, she adds.
And Thats A Major Key In Dissolving The Anger From Your Life And Stopping It From Driving You Into Depression
Understanding that anger is simply an emotional energy that passes through you, from time to time.
Theres nothing wrong with you. You are notmental. You are not an angry person, yes, you may have anger to process right now but thats not who you are as a person. Its not your identity!
Once you accept that anger is atemporary emotion that we all experience, youll begin to lose the fear, judgement or animosity that usually surrounds anger.
As a result, instead of wanting to avoid or suppress anger, you can begin to fearlessly approach anger, rapidly transform it and finally put a stop to it driving you into depression.
Now, there are many proven processes to tackle anger and frustration from the roots but today, Im going to share one of my personal favourites when it comes to dealing with anger in depression.
Here it is.
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Recognizing Depression Symptoms In A Loved One
Family and friends are often the first line of defense in the fight against depression. Thats why its important to understand the signs and symptoms of depression. You may notice the problem in a depressed loved one before they do, and your influence and concern can motivate them to seek help.
Be concerned if your loved one:
Doesnt seem to care about anything anymore. Has lost interest in work, sex, hobbies, and other pleasurable activities. Has withdrawn from friends, family, and other social activities.
Expresses a bleak or negative outlook on life. Is uncharacteristically sad, irritable, short-tempered, critical, or moody talks about feeling helpless or hopeless.
Frequently complains of aches and pains such as headaches, stomach problems, and back pain. Or complains of feeling tired and drained all the time.
Sleeps less than usual or oversleeps. Has become indecisive, forgetful, disorganized, and out of it.
Eats more or less than usual, and has recently gained or lost weight.
Drinks more or abuses drugs, including prescription sleeping pills and painkillers, as a way to self-medicate how theyre feeling.
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Small Steps Big Impact
If a person feels sustained, intense, feelings of sadness or loss of interest in activities, they may have clinical depression. People also refer to this condition as major depressive disorder.
However, there are small steps you can take to help you gain more agency in your life and improve your sense of well-being.
Read on to learn how to incorporate these strategies in a way that makes sense for you.
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Volunteering Can Be A Great Way To Do Both
Knock out a few birds with one stone spending time with other people and doing something new by volunteering and giving your time to someone or something else.
You may be used to receiving help from friends, but reaching out and providing help may actually improve your mental health more.
Bonus: People who volunteer experience physical benefits, too. This includes a
Seeking Help And Support For Anger And Depression
If you are struggling with depression and anger, it is incredibly important that you speak to a health or mental health professional. They will be able to provide you with access to an assessment, diagnosis, and treatment such as medication and therapy so that you can deal with the problems that you are currently facing.
Many people choose to start out by speaking to their GP. If you are nervous about going to talk to them, do a little preparation beforehand. Write down a list of your concerns, examples of how anger and depression have been impacting your life, information on the intensity of your anger symptoms and any other symptoms of depression that you experience, as well as details of if and when these symptoms peak and trough throughout the day or week.
They will be able to provide you with support themselves, or refer you to a specialist treatment service, such as Priory, so that they can provide you with the help you need.
If you would prefer, you can also come directly to Priory. One of our experienced psychiatrists will be able to provide you with an assessment, a diagnosis and recommend world-class treatment for depression at any one of our nationwide hospitals or wellbeing centres.
Blog reviewed by Daniel Fryer , MSc, Dip. in Animal Assisted Therapy, Dip. in Clinical Hypnotherapy, Dip. in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy), CBT therapist at Priory Hospital Bristol
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Should You Worry About Antidepressant Withdrawal
insomniaPsychiatric Times
More to the point, while you should slowly stop your antidepressant with the help of your doctor, antidepressants do not cause dependence and withdrawal like other substances. Unlike substances that are known to cause addiction, such as alcohol, opioids, and barbiturates, people don’t crave antidepressants. You dont get high from them, and they arent intentionally or compulsively overused. Serious reactions like the seizures and agitation that can follow sudden withdrawal from addictive substances are unheard of when these antidepressants are tapered gradually, note the authors of the Psychiatric Times report.
Encourage Them To Seek Professional Help
Psychotherapy can help treat depression and anger management issues. One study showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy can be effective in treating patients with excessive anger and depression.
Begin by gently encouraging them. Mental health professionals like therapists and counselors can provide tools and resources friends and family members cannot. Therapy can also provide a safe space to discuss difficult or intimate topics.
If in-person appointments are not an option, therapy can be conducted online without sacrificing comfort or quality of care.
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Anger Rage & Resentment
Begin a New Life is a deeply effective, step-by-step program that helps you overcome anger, rage, and resentment. It provides tools for identifying these emotions, making choices about them, and moving forward in ways that are calmer, more at peace, and more productive. Its an excellent stand-alone program or adjunct to other methods, treatments, or therapies. The program can be done in the privacy of your home or in a group context.
If you are looking for a way to deal with anger or control your temper, the Begin a New Life program can help. Its a unique, deeply effective anger management program with everything you need for accomplishing these things.
The Begin a New Life seminar and take-home materials have done more than any book, any counseling, any religious presentation, or any other seminar to set my marriage and my personal, spiritual growth on a good course. To anyone who takes the seminar or uses the materials I say, Go for it, be honest, and dig deep! Your life will be happier and more authentic as a result.
Emotional Strategies For Depression
If youre aware of your depression and whats causing it, you can try going deeper into the emotion itself.
Remember, depression is just a state. Youre not the depression itself.
Try to find the center of the depression, and you may realize that it has none. Then, the depression will disappear on its own.
Alternatively, you can express your depression and frustration. Go into a private space, like the bathroom, and talk to the depressed part in the mirror. See what it wants and needs. Often, merely allowing this sad part to express itself can resolve the depression.
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One Thing Makes All The Difference
Researcher Brene Brown spent six years of intensive study to find the answer to this question and found that it all comes down to one single variable: a persons belief of whether or not theyre worthy.
People who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe theyre worthy of love and belonging. Thats it. They believe theyre worthy.
There was only one variable that separated the people who have a strong sense of love and belonging and the people who really struggle for it. And that was, the people who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe theyre worthy of love and belonging. Thats it. They believe theyre worthy he one thing that keeps us out of connection is our fear that were not worthy of connection
Find A Mental Health Counselor For The Two Of You
Depression affects both of youand your whole family. The Lowes suggest finding a therapist or counselor who has worked with depression in couples. You may have issues to deal with individually as the depressed person, and the two of you may have issues to deal with that stem from coping with depression, Lowe says. We found it very helpful to have a counselor we could see together at times and separately at other times.
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Be Alert For Relapses
About 85 percent of people who suffer a bout of major depression will have a relapse within a decadeand half will have a recurrence within a year, according to a study published in International Journal of Neuropharmacology. The researchers recommended a maintenance dose of antidepressants and/or therapy to prevent a relapse. Both spouses should also stay alert for signs that the illness is returning, Walfish adds.
Caring for a depressed spouse can be lonely, overwhelming, and emotionally draining, she says. You may blame yourself, feel helpless, grow pessimistic, lose your sense of humor, and even consider leaving. Its easy for the non-depressed spouse to become angry and frustrated with an irritable, lethargic mate whos pessimistic and critical, who cant unload the dishwasher, or who cant get the kids ready for bed anymorelet alone make love, ask how youre doing, or acknowledge that youve been holding things together for weeks, months, or years.
This starts a cycle that burns you out and doesnt help your partner at all, Scott-Lowe notes. I did this with DennisI would become extremely angry with him. Then I would feel really guilty and try to make up for it by taking on more and more around the house. Then I would get angry all over again. This wasnt helping Dennis, of course, and it was wearing me out emotionally and physically.
How To Cope With Anger As A Depression Symptom
I know that it’s important and helpful to identify triggers of any negative feelings because they are cause for change. My problem, though, is that I dont know whats triggering my anger, and it feels uncontrollable. I need to work harder to understand why I’m angry so that I can better manage my anger. Anger management takes many forms and there are plenty of suggestions regarding how to keep your temper under control. Methods include just about everything from exercising to throwing eggs into your bathtub. I know that I will not always be angry. The hopelessness and despair I feel regarding my anger is reasonable, but I will be able to sort it out and move forward with coping with my depression. And though it feels silly to be angry about being angry, I imagine that if I get angry enough, change will burst into being right in front of me. It’s a comforting image at the very least.
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Our team of certified therapists is here to empower you and your loved ones. Whatever challenges you may be facing, you can face them together or, if you prefer, individually through one-on-one encrypted sessions.
Learn coping skills, discuss difficult subjects, and diffuse overwhelming emotions like anger or depressive episodes by reaching out at a moments notice.
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What Can Friends And Family Do
This page is for friends and family of someone who is experiencing problems with anger.
Under 18? We have information for you on how to support a friend or partner who’s struggling
It can be very difficult when someone you care about is experiencing problems with anger especially if they sometimes direct their anger towards you, others close to them, or themselves.
We are all responsible for our own actions, so ultimately it will be up to them to learn how to manage and express their anger appropriately. But there are still lots of things you can do to help support them:
The worst thing is for people to tell me to calm down or say that whatever caused my anger doesn’t matter. People listening and accepting my feelings helps the most.
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Turning Anger On Ourselves Contributes To The Severity Of Depression
Sigmund Freud used to refer to depression as anger turned inward. While many people may regard this as an overly simplistic approach to the most common mental health disorder in the world, there is no doubt that anger plays a significant role in depression. As one study from 2016 found, when it comes to emotional disorders in general, the presence of anger has negative consequences, including greater symptom severity and worse treatment response. Researchers concluded that based on this evidence, anger appears to be an important and understudied emotion in the development, maintenance, and treatment of emotional disorders. When it comes specifically to depression, science seems to be further supporting Freuds theory, showing more and more how anger contributes to symptoms. A UK study from 2013 suggested that going inward and turning our anger on ourselves contributes to the severity of depression.
People who suffer from depression often have intense critical inner voices that perpetuate feelings of unworthiness and shame. When they listen to this inner critic, they not only feel more depressed, but they also find it much more difficult to stand up to their depression. This includes acting against their critical inner voices, taking positive actions that could help them feel better about themselves and being more social.
How To Feel Happy Again
When I was struggling with depression, I thought that I would never be able to feel happy again. Now Im happy and I love my life. There is hope for healing. There is hope for happiness. I can show you an easy 5 minute morning routine that can begin the process of bringing happiness back into your life. Please give it a try.
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The Risk Of Suicide Is Real
What to do in a crisis situation
If you believe your loved one is at an immediate risk for suicide, do NOT leave them alone.
In the U.S., dial 911 or call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
In other countries, call your countrys emergency services number or visit IASP to find a suicide prevention helpline.
It may be hard to believe that the person you know and love would ever consider something as drastic as suicide, but a depressed person may not see any other way out. Depression clouds judgment and distorts thinking, causing a normally rational person to believe that death is the only way to end the pain theyre feeling.
Since suicide is a very real danger when someone is depressed, its important to know the warning signs:
- Talking about suicide, dying, or harming oneself a preoccupation with death
- Expressing feelings of hopelessness or self-hate
- Acting in dangerous or self-destructive ways
- Getting affairs in order and saying goodbye
- Seeking out pills, weapons, or other lethal objects
- A sudden sense of calm after depression
If you think a friend or family member might be considering suicide, dont wait, talk to them about your concerns. Many people feel uncomfortable bringing up the topic but it is one of the best things you can do for someone who is thinking about suicide. Talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a persons life, so speak up if youre concerned and seek professional help immediately!