Does Getting Angry Make You Angrier?

Continuing the theme of last week’s post on riots, now we’re drilling a little deeper on the subject of anger.  I learned last week on the radio that one enterprising woman has a place where you can break stuff.  Literally, you sign up to go and smash stuff to blow off steam.  I love the alliteration, its called the Smash Shack.  It sounds like a lot of fun for pissed off ex’s, fans of Glenn Beck, and kids who haven’t had their riddlin pills.

But NPR has talked to top people in the field and they think that…
the pendulum has swung. Psychology professor Jeffrey Lohr of the University of Arkansas says that decades of research on cathartic anger — the theory that actively expressing your anger can reduce or relieve the feeling — has produced a clear conclusion.

“Punching pillows and breaking dishes doesn’t reduce subsequent anger expression,” he says. “That, the research shows clearly.”

In fact, the research very clearly shows the opposite is true: The more you get angry, the angrier you get. And, so, researchers across the nation are now on a campaign to recast our view of anger expression. Sadly, even screaming is now out of vogue because arousal just increases your arousal. So no more screaming at your family.

So now the experts are telling us that Bill Bixby was right along when he said, “Mr. McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

So getting angry and throwing a tantrum just leads to more of the same and probably high blood pressure.  I’m more passive type.  I go into the day just expecting someone or something to piss me off, so its really not a surprise and I don’t freak out anymore.  I have built up a very high tolerance to random crap.  Or maybe its patience, a lot of people tell me I have the patience of a saint.  A misanthropic saint, but a saint nonetheless.