Why do I let things piss me off?

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

The Second Coming W. B. Yeats

It seems compellingly obvious that we are hurtling headlong into a summer of epic discontent.

You may start asking yourself… why do I let things piss me off?

Here are some points to ponder:

• Emotion Regulation: Controlling and modulating our emotional responses.

When we experience anger, the body releases stress hormones into the bloodstream. According to research, high levels of these stress hormones can damage nerve cells in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. The hippocampus is essential for learning and memory.

When neurons are damaged, it can hinder the ability to learn and retain information.

Anger can significantly impair our cognitive functioning. Anger impacts nerve cells in the prefrontal cortex. This brain region, located at the front, is critical for:

Attention: Maintaining focus and concentration.

Cognitive Control: Managing thoughts and actions to achieve goals.

• Impact on the Gastrointestinal System

Anger doesn't just affect your brain; it can also wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal (GI) system. When angry, your body produces numerous proteins and hormones that increase inflammation. Chronic inflammation can elevate your risk for many diseases affecting your GI tract.

Anger also activates the body's sympathetic nervous system—or "fight or flight" response—which directs blood away from the gut to major muscles.

This can slow down movement in the GI tract, leading to issues like constipation.

Stephen Lupe, director of behavioral medicine at the Cleveland Clinic’s department of gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition, explains that this response "slows down movement in the GI tract, which can lead to problems like constipation."

• Anger and Heart Health

Recent studies have shown that anger can increase the risk of heart disease.

Dr. Daichi Shimbo, a professor of medicine at Columbia University, suggests that chronic anger could leave you at risk for heart disease. "We speculate over time if you’re getting these chronic insults to your arteries because you get angry a lot, that will leave you at risk for having heart disease," says Shimbo.

• A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association examined the effects of anger, anxiety, and sadness on heart health.

• Participants were assigned tasks to induce these emotions, and their blood vessel function was tested using a blood pressure cuff.

• The results showed that those in the angry group had worse blood flow than the others; their blood vessels didn’t dilate as much.

Managing Anger for Better Health in an era of normalized and monetized rage…

While anger is a normal emotion, frequent or prolonged anger can cause significant health problems. Techniques like meditation and healthier ways of expressing anger can help mitigate these effects. You can protect your heart, brain, and gastrointestinal health by managing your anger instead of indulging it. However, the purpose of this post is not to offer you solutions.

No matter what you believe, please recognize how social media feeds you a steady diet of rage. We live in an era of Limbic Capitalism.

Let’s return to the question… Why do I let things piss me off?

If you’re pissed off all the time, someone is most likely making a living by high-jacking your nervous system.

Even if you agree with them and believe that they mean well.

Anger in Society: Cultural Havoc

Anger impacts our health and creates significant disruptions within society. Two notable manifestations of societal anger are road rage and political violence.

Road Rage

Road rage is a prevalent and dangerous outcome of unmanaged anger. When drivers become angry, they may engage in aggressive driving behaviors such as tailgating, speeding, or even physical confrontations. This endangers the lives of those involved and contributes to a culture of fear and hostility on the roads. Incidents of road rage can escalate quickly, leading to accidents and sometimes fatal outcomes.

Political Violence

Anger can also manifest in political violence, which has far-reaching consequences for societal stability. When political discourse becomes charged with anger and hostility, it can lead to acts of violence such as protests, riots, and even terrorism. This type of violence disrupts communities, instills fear, and undermines democratic processes.

The polarization and division fueled by political anger make it difficult to find common ground and work towards collective solutions. In other words, have we ever looked forward to a presidential election with more fear and loathing?

Final thoughts

The soul-crushing aspects of rage are a spiritual cliche. What you really need to be frankly told, gentle reader, is that anger can do more damage to your body than you realize.

It affects your brain, heart, and gastrointestinal system in ways that can lead to long-term health issues. Understanding these specific effects and learning to detach from anger can significantly improve your overall health and well-being. This is the standard advice every therapist proffers.

But remember to take a step back and ask.. cui bono? Who profits by installing this agita within my soul?

Our ride-sharing experience is about to get a little bumpy. Consider valuing your peace of mind over your moral outrage.

Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.