Avoiding the Health Risks of Anger

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by Dr. Kirk Laman

"Well, you should have thought about that first!"

The woman's voice was loud, too loud for the restaurant. We were trying to enjoy a relaxing meal when the argument erupted a few tables over- a couple in open disagreement. "I didn't want to think about it," he shouted at her. By now my meal was loosing its flavor, disrupted by the unpleasant outbursts projected from across the room.

It's called anger. We all know it. We've all experienced it. For some of us it happens rarely. Others dip into its dark shadows daily. But did you know that anger isn't just emotionally damaging?

It's true. Anger can do more than upset us emotionally. Anger can have deleterious effects on our physical bodies. It can actually produce heart disease and keep us from having a healthy heart.

Sound far-fetched? It shouldn't. Medical science has known about the harmful effects of anger for hundreds of years, but only lately have physicians been recommending people address their anger.

Dr. Kirk Laman, a board certified cardiologist, with a special interest in heart disease prevention suggests that we look at anger just as we look at other risk factors for heart disease.

"Anger is a powerful emotion. If left unchecked it can actually cause a heart attack," said Dr. Laman. "All of us are aware of the traditional risk factors for heart disease- smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Yet, recently the American Heart Association has recognized that emotional issues can also place us at risk for developing heart problems." Numerous medical studies have cited anger as a cause of heart trouble. In the medical journal, Circulation (October 1995) anger was shown to precede and actually trigger a heart attack. In the article they studied 1623 men and women, evaluating the amount and timing of anger in the peoples lives. These researchers were able to find a direct relationship between having anger and developing a heart attack.

In another study on anger (Circulation, May 2000), 12,986 people who carried more anger were twice as likely to have a heart attack, die, or need angioplasty or bypass surgery when compared to people who were less angry.

Indeed, anger isn't just an emotional issue. It truly can be harmful to our health.

What can we do about anger? Well, the first thing is to become more aware of when we are having anger. We can do this by becoming more aware of our hearts in general.

One useful thing to do is to set aside 20 minutes each evening for reflection. Journaling can also be helpful. Reflect how your heart felt throughout your day. Were you upset, frustrated? Just by spending time reflecting, you can begin to conquer the harmful feelings that over take your heart.

If you're someone who is angry a great deal seek professional help. Find a psychotherapist or counselor and begin developing the skills needed for creating a more healthy heart.

Anger is a risk, but you can avoid suffering from debilitating heart disease. Kirk Laman, D.O.

About the Author
Dr. Laman is a board certified, cardiologist, author, and public speaker-interested in heart disease prevention. He is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University. He offers a free monthly newsletter on his website called "Mending Hearts. " His book, "How to Heal Your Broken Heart, " ( http://www.drlaman.com/book.html ) is designed to help people struggling with issues of the heart. Go to: www

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