ANGER and your HEALTH

Martha had heard many times from ministers of God that anger should be avoided, and even in impossible cases, one should not sin but rather do away with it rapidly. She thought, "well, my feelings are none of your business, old men, you can't turn me into a dummy please. I guess you don't know how people can so much get on one's nerve. Anger is just an expression." Martha was easily irritated, always raging and wouldn't keep her emotions controlled. "People can be so annoying, foolish holiness my foot," her favourite statement was. Few years after, Martha came down with stroke, with half of her body paralysed.

                Anger is experienced in the body as well as in the mind. Emotions begin inside two almond-shaped structures in our brains, called the amygdala, which gets us reacting before the cortex (brain part responsible for thought and judgment) is able to check on the reasonableness of our reaction. As you become angry, your muscles tense, neurotransmitter known as catecholamines are released in the brain, blood pressure rises, and rate of breathing increases. Subsequently, additional neurotransmitters and hormones (including adrenaline and noradrenaline) are released, which trigger a lasting state of arousal.

                The adrenaline-caused arousal that occurs during anger lasts a very long time (many hours, sometimes days). Although, we do calm down, it takes a very long time for us to return to our resting state.

Effects of anger include:

•   Headache
•  Insomnia 
•  Digestion problems, e.g abdominal pain, indigestion
• Increased anxiety
•  Depression
•   Memory problems 
•  High blood pressure
•  Skin problems, such as eczema
•  Heart attack
•  Stroke.

Of course, there are many frustrating situations out there, but you can...

•  Be cautious, don't allow every little thing bother you.
• Take deep breaths when angered.
• Leave the environment or source of anger briefly.
• Exercise or meditate.
• Make positive statements e.g I can handle this, this can't upset my mood, I am a stable person.
• Express yourself, rather than bottle up anger, but be assertive and not aggressive in doing this.
• Let go of things beyond your control. (Let go and let God)

Don't be like Martha, take charge of your emotions today. Anger, as it is, can be very destructive to health.