It’s difficult to express anger for a lot of people. Maybe that’s because, growing up, we only ever saw destructive expressions of anger. Or, maybe we think anger is bad. And if we think that anger is a bad emotion, that doesn’t mean we stop feeling it. Instead, we get very good at covering it up. But anger doesn’t go away, it just changes. To be specific, there are seven emotions that indicate a hidden anger.
When we initially feel anger, we have two choices: we can either express it in a healthy way, or we can push it away.
We do this by buying our anger and denying that we’re angry. We can also express it in a destructive pattern, with things like verbal abuse, physical expression, and even emotional abuse. But this isn’t really healthy, and we also don’t want to look angry. So, we don’t go this route.
So, most of the time, we suppress our anger and deny it altogether. And in the end, you might consider yourself a happy person, or an emotionally stable person. After all, you’re not acting in an angry manner.
But the truth is, you could be anger without even knowing it. And unfortunately, the anger you hold within affects your health, relationships, and productivity, just to name a few life areas.
How can you know if you’re housing lots of unaddressed anger?
Ask yourself if you frequently experience any of the seven following emotions. If so, it could be a good indicator that there’s anger you need to come face to face with.
- Distant
- Sarcastic
- Frustrated
- Jealous
- Irritated
- Skeptical
- Critical
