Stifled anger stifles health

Press, 7 May 1987, Page 12

Stifled anger stifles health

“Bodywork”

by

PORTER SHIMER

“I was angry with my friend: “I told my wrath, my wrath did end. "I was angry with my foe: "I told it not, my wrath did grow.” William Blake created that as poetry back in the eighteenth century, but today it’s holding up rather nicely as science: researchers from the University of Michigan have just completed a study which suggests that stifled anger may be an unsuspected cause of death. Dr Mara Julius and Dr Ernest Harburg of the university’s Department of Psychology, followed the physical health and anger-coping styles of 696 people from a period of 12 years, and some definite patterns emerged. People who suppressed their anger were more than twice as likely to die during the 12-year period as people who were open and expressive of their discontents. The researchers aren’t saying, however, that we should all blow our stacks at the drop of a hat, because that can create stresses of a different sort. ‘‘While people who suppress their anger create internal biochemical problems for themselves, people who go blowing their stacks create prob-

lems outside themselves, things such as divorce and lost jobs,” Dr Julius recently told “Body Bulletin.” “Either way, unhealthfully stressful situations are being created, situations that can greatly increase vulnerability to a wide variety of disease states. Research leaves little doubt that heart disease, cancer and arthritis are more likely in people who mismanage their anger, but we fully suspect that other illnesses are encouraged by poor anger management.” Poor anger management. What, then, is good anger I

asked Dr Julius. “Counting to 10. Maybe even 20. The best approach to managing anger is what we call reflective coping — waiting until tempers have cooled so that a situation might be discussed rationally.” If attacked unfairly by a spouse, or a superior at work, for example, the best response simply would be to hold your peace at first, waiting until your attacker has cooled before having your say, Dr Julius said. You don’t want to fight fire with fire because that usually only fans the flames. Your goal in an angerprovoking situation, in short, should be to bring down the heat so that not every word spoken comes to an immediate boiL “Anger usually is induced by the perception that some arbitrary authority — an individual or group — is threatening to take away something that belongs to you — be it your job, a material possession, your self-esteem or your health,” Dr Julius said. We get angry at a driver who neglects to use his indicator, for example, because that person has endangered our physical well-being. “In that case, a good honk on the horn would be an appropriate

response,” Dr Julius said. “It lets your feelings be know and it also gives a scolding that might help the errant driver be more mindful in the future. “The important thing to remember is that the body, on a biochemical level, does not respond well to injustice. Unvented anger can begin-to upset some very delicate and very important hormonal balances.” Speak your mind, in other words, but keep your cool. It could help you keep your health. — Copyright Universal Press Syndicate