An angry person is reacting, usually without conscious thought and often from emotional rather than rational issues. Our concept of someone who is mentally well does not include displays of anger. Nor do we like to feel repressed anger in the personality, whether our own or our companion's. We do not sanction anger in our concept of mental fitness and well being but rather recognize it as a symptom of mental illness.
Anger is an example of emotional energy from the subconscious proving capable of erupting like a volcano and having an equal potential to harm or hurt.
That hurt begins with the physical and psychic hurt to the one who is angry - increased blood pressure, nervous and muscular tension, loss of normal function of body processes, and by contributing to a totally negative self image. In retrospect, no one reflects with joy upon their anger or is proud of their demonstrated loss of self control.
As emotional energy and repressed feelings can erupt violently, when extreme can lead to road rage, violence towards others and 'crimes of passion' including murder. People who suffer rage destroy property, inflict hurt on themselves or others, and are often inclined when provoked by circumstances, to suicide.
There is nothing positive about anger, which can cause such internal and external harm.
Anger is a character weakness that makes the angry person vulnerable. Not only does it demonstrate to others a loss of self control but often reveals a trigger spot in the ego that others may take advantage of in the future. It can be argued that there are times to express 'righteous' anger or indignation. But these words describe two different reactions.
Perhaps without feeling angry and retaining full self control, parents well know the need to exercise the skill to portray anger in the upbringing of children, but this demands of course that there it stays - as a tool or leash, not as a weapon.
Unfortunately anger is infectious. It is usual that when someone displays anger towards us, that we react and respond angrily, even though we were relaxed to begin with. It takes a great deal of will to resist such reactions and learning such control becomes an important discipline for those wishing to create mental fitness as well as physical health.
Those who are in good mental state of health enjoy being in command of themselves and generally choose to act rather than to react in this way.
Sally Janssen is an writer and educator who from an early age trained in Raja Yoga--that branch of the ancient science that deal with the mind and its complexities. She subsequently gained an international reputation for her skills and her wisdom in the training of the mind.
In her wonderfully readable book entitled Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-help Guide she presents simple, self-help practices that help to generate and maintain mental fitness just as the natural principles for physical fitness can be personally applied by us all. The book may be found here: http://www.mentalhealthandfitness.com
This really is a must-read book for us all. You can also visit her blog at http://www.mentalhealthandfitness.com/blog
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