A recent study reported in the journal Hypertension supports earlier work that anger can increase the risk for heart attack. Chronic anger actually narrows the arteries in the neck and boosts the risk for cardiac disease. People who are antagonistic, distrustful, skeptical, cynical, manipulative, self-centered, arrogant and quick to express anger would fall into this category.
Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) provides an approach to help recognize, understand and change the underlying thought patterns and attitudes that give rise to these behaviors and the emotion of anger. Many cognitive and behavioral methods to manage anger are described in ANGER MANAGEMENT by Dr. Robet Heller. My compact, pocket-sized book provides many tips, suggestions and methods for changing the way you think, feel and act. For example, “Think before you act.” Understand the situation and consider other reasons and possibilities as your assumptions may be wrong or incomplete. I can remember some time ago, feeling very angry and annoyed when I repeatedly asked someone on the adjacent tennis court to return a ball. Rather than my incorrect assumption that he was being rude and ignoring me, it turned out that he was deaf and his hearing aid was turned off!
By learning to control our anger, we create better physical and emotional health for ourselves as well as those we come in contact with.