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[THREAD] I want to take a moment to talk about anger a little bit. When it comes to all our emotions such as happiness, sadness, stressed out, etc...they are normalized. We can mention we are feeling those, but anger is something that is not encouraged. It has a strong
association with violence and losing control. Let’s explore whether that’s true and the risks of repressing anger. First of all, anger is a legitimate emotion. It is something we have all felt at one point or another. We usually don’t express it unless it is with people we feel
safe with. However, we have established previously that externalizing emotions is important because the more we repress them, the more they come out in the form of mental health struggles later on. Anger is the same. We need to externalize it. Now, let’s move on to whether anger
truly leads to violence. The answer is yes and no. For example, there is a big difference between men and women. Men are raised to externalize their anger, to stand their ground and use forms of violence to show their masculinity. So men are likely to externalize their anger
through violence more than women. However, women are taught to internalize their emotions or cry rather than have anger outbursts. These differences in socialization show how widely different people can express their anger. But there is a middle ground because it is
important to let it out but also not in a way that may harm ourselves or others. For example, calling out the people who make us angry, even raising our voices to defend ourselves in the moment, crying, screaming into a pillow are all healthier ways to deal with our anger
without repressing it. This need to be taught to everyone regardless of gender. As with depression or anxiety, excessive anger can turn into a mental disorder where therapy is required because any extreme can lead to decreased quality of life. Don’t let anyone delegitimize your
anger or tell you that it is not valid. It is as valid as any other emotion and very understandable to feel that way when we are treated unfairly.
