Anger

Anger is a normal human feeling. It can range from mild annoyance to strong rage. It can be set off by other people, by events, by worries or by painful memories.^1,2 Anger can even be useful. It tells you something is wrong and gives you energy to deal with it.

Anger becomes a problem when it comes too often, gets too strong or lasts too long. It is also a problem when it leads to words or actions that cause harm.² The good news is that anger skills can be learned, and anger treatment works for many people.⁶ This page gives you the big picture and points you to our detailed pages.

When does anger become a problem?

Everyone gets angry. Experts look at a few things to judge whether anger has become a problem:^2,3

• How often you get angry
• How strong the anger feels
• How long it lasts once it starts
• Whether it turns into aggression, such as yelling, threats, breaking things or wanting to hurt someone
• How much it gets in the way of your relationships, work and daily life

These are the same things our MindCheck self-check looks at. MindCheck measures anger with a short, well-tested scale called the DAR-5 (Dimensions of Anger Reactions-5). The scale looks back over the past four weeks. It asks how often you got angry, how intense the anger was and how long it lasted. It also asks whether you wanted to hurt someone, and whether anger kept you from getting along with people. Higher scores point to anger that causes more problems.³ A self-check cannot diagnose you, but it can help you see a pattern and decide whether to talk with someone.

Problem anger does not always look like shouting. Some people stay quiet but stew for hours or days. Others hold it in until it bursts out. Anger that is held in can turn inward, where it may feed into high blood pressure or depression.¹ Read more in Signs and causes of anger problems.

How common is problem anger?

• In a national survey of more than 34,000 U.S. adults, about 7.8% (about 1 in 13) reported anger that was out of place, very intense or poorly controlled. It was more common in men and in younger adults. People with this kind of anger also had more trouble with day-to-day life, such as work and relationships.⁴
• A smaller group has repeated, explosive outbursts. In another national survey, about 4% of adults (1 in 25) had intermittent explosive disorder in the past year. On average it started at about age 14. Only about 3 in 10 people with it had ever had treatment for their anger.⁵ See When anger is a disorder.

What drives anger?

Anger usually has a trigger. But what you bring to the moment matters just as much.

• Events and people. Rude treatment, being wrongly accused, long waits, money worries or conflict at home can all set anger off.^1,7
• Your body. Poor sleep, hunger, tiredness, pain and stress lower your fuse. In one experiment, people who slept less for just two nights felt angrier than people who slept normally.⁹
• Alcohol. Heavy drinking on one occasion raises the risk of violence, including violence against a partner.¹⁰
• Your past. Painful memories, including memories of trauma, can bring anger back.¹ Much of how we handle anger is learned, often from what we saw growing up. That also means it can be relearned.⁷
• Your thoughts. Thinking "they did that on purpose" or "this must never happen" adds fuel. Anger often sits on top of other feelings, such as hurt or humiliation.⁷
• Other health conditions. Problem anger is linked with several mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder and drug use problems.⁴ Anger and irritability can also be part of depression, PTSD, ADHD and dementia.

Learn more in Signs and causes of anger problems.

Anger and your health

When you get angry, your heart beats faster, your blood pressure goes up, and your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline.¹ That is fine once in a while. When anger and hostility (a habit of cynical, distrustful thinking) are frequent, research links them with a higher risk of heart disease. But the link is hard to untangle from habits like smoking and lack of exercise.¹¹ See Anger and your health.

What helps

Several approaches help. The badges show how strong the research is (see how we rate evidence).

What does not help: venting. Many people think it helps to "let it out" by yelling or hitting a pillow or punching bag. Research does not back this up. In the same review of 154 studies, activities that rev up the body did not reduce anger overall. These included hitting a bag and going for a hard run to burn off anger.⁸ Calming down works better than blowing off steam.

When anger is part of depression, PTSD or another condition, treating that condition is part of good care. See When anger is a disorder.

Helping someone, and anger in later life

Living with someone who has frequent outbursts is hard, and your safety comes first. Abuse of a partner grows out of a wish to control that person, not just out of anger, so it needs a different kind of help than anger management.¹² See Helping someone with an anger problem.

In later life, irritability can come from pain, hearing loss, medicines, depression or dementia. Family caregivers can feel anger and guilt too. See Anger and irritability in later life.

All anger pages

• Signs and causes of anger problems
• Anger and your health
• Self-help for anger
• Treatment for anger problems
• When anger is a disorder
• Helping someone with an anger problem
• Anger and irritability in later life

Related: Emotion regulation, Stress, DBT emotion regulation skills, PTSD, Depression and Agitation and aggression in dementia.

Explore anger

When to get help

Talk with a doctor or a mental health professional if anger feels out of control or is hurting your relationships or other parts of your life.¹ Also reach out if:

• Your anger frightens you or the people around you
• You have broken things, hurt someone, or gotten into legal trouble because of anger
• You drink or use drugs to calm down
• You feel low, on edge or irritable most days
• Your temper has changed a lot, especially in later life. A medical checkup is a good first step.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.