Feeling angry these days? Join the club. Nearly 90%of Americans say a recent political issue or news story has triggered their anger, according to the latest Mood of the Nation Poll. And 46% of them said it made them “extremely angry.”
There’s a lot to be upset about—divisive politics, economic stress, social unrest, ongoing global conflict, rising mental health struggles, and even the relentless negativity in the news cycle. These are just some of the causes of increased anger.
Social media fans the flames, feeding us a constant stream of outrage-inducing content. It’s no wonder so many people feel like they’re at a breaking point.
But here’s the problem: chronic anger doesn’t just make life more stressful—it actually harms your brain. When anger simmers or explodes regularly, it can lead to serious consequences for your mental health, physical well-being, and relationships.
In this blog, you’ll discover what anger does to your brain, why anger management is essential for your emotional and cognitive health, and practical strategies to help you cool down and regain control.
Chronic anger doesn’t just make life more stressful—it actually harms your brain and can lead to serious consequences for your mental health, physical well-being, and relationships.
Uncontrolled anger is detrimental in so many ways, negatively affecting relationships, physical health, and mental well-being.
Related: Intermittent Explosive Disorder: Symptoms and Treatment
Anger is a complex emotion that involves various regions of the brain, each contributing to how we experience and express this powerful feeling. Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of anger can provide valuable insights into managing and mitigating its effects.
The interplay between these brain regions and chemicals forms a network that governs our experience of anger:
Having explored the neurobiological foundations of anger, it’s essential to recognize how these internal mechanisms interact with external factors, such as environmental stressors and personal experiences, in shaping our emotional responses.
Anger issues can be a sign of trouble in the brain. In a study in the Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, the research team at Amen Clinics performed brain SPECT imaging studies on 40 individuals who had physically attacked another person or destroyed property as well as on 40 non-aggressive people as controls.
The SPECT scans of the people with aggressive behavior showed significant differences from the control group in several brain regions. These included:
Dysfunction here is associated with irritability, anger, and violent thoughts. Common causes of temporal lobe problems include genetics, head injuries, and exposure to toxins or infections.
Related: 7 Lessons from Murderers’ Brain Scans
The good news is you can control temper flare-ups even in the worst situations. The following six steps have proven to be helpful for many Amen Clinics patients.
Press Play to Learn More About How to Calm Anger
In this video, Dr. Daniel Amen reveals why some people have what he call the Angry Dragon, one of the mental “dragons” that are constantly breathing fire on the emotional centers of the brain. Find out if you have this dragon, what causes it, what triggers it, and how to tame it.
Click below to tune in:
Video: 8 Ways to Soothe Anger
Anger may feel justified in the moment, but when it lingers or erupts uncontrollably, it can damage your brain, your body, and your life. Understanding the neurobiology of anger—and seeing how it shows up on brain scans—proves that this emotion is more than just a fleeting feeling. It’s a brain health issue that deserves your attention.
The good news is, you don’t have to stay stuck in a cycle of rage or regret. With the right tools and support, you can learn to manage your anger, protect your brain, and build healthier relationships. Your brain can change—and when it does, your life can, too.
Anger, depression, ADHD, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we provide personalized, science-backed treatment plans designed to target the root causes of your symptoms. Our 360-approach includes brain SPECT imaging, clinical evaluations, innovative therapeutic techniques, medications (when necessary), and holistic lifestyle recommendations to promote the health of your brain, body, and mind. Speak to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
Helmstetter C, et al. Mood of the Nation: Angry. APM Research Lab, April 23, 2024. https://www.apmresearchlab.org/motn/what-makes-americans-angry-proud
Williams JE, et al. Anger Proneness Predicts Coronary Heart Disease Risk : Prospective Analysis From the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) Study. Circulation. Volume 101, Number 17. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.101.17.2034
Mostofsky, Elizabeth et al. “Outbursts of anger as a trigger of acute cardiovascular events: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” European heart journal vol. 35,21 (2014): 1404-10. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehu033
Romero-Martínez, A et al. “High Immunoglobulin A Levels Mediate the Association Between High Anger Expression and Low Somatic Symptoms in Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators.” Journal of interpersonal violence vol. 31,4 (2016): 732-42. doi:10.1177/0886260514556107
Kubzansky, L D et al. “Angry breathing: A prospective study of hostility and lung function in the Normative Aging Study.” Thorax vol. 61,10 (2006): 863-8. doi:10.1136/thx.2005.050971
Deschenes SS, et al. The Role of Anger in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. March 2012Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 41(3):261-71
DOI:10.1080/16506073.2012.666564
Amen, D. G., Stubblefield, M., Carmichael, B., & Thisted, R. (1996). Brain SPECT Findings and Aggressiveness. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 8(3), 129–137. https://doi.org/10.3109/10401239609147750