We all get angry. We swear and curse and sometimes drop a derogatory word or two.
but have you ever thought about what happens in our brain when we get angry?
Are we hurting ourselves by getting angry?
in this article, I’ll explain what actually happens inside of our brain when we get angry.
Anger is something we all experience from time to time.
Some people more than others.
Anger is a ferocious, often overwhelming emotion that can transform even the calmest person into a hurricane of rage.
But when we get angry, is it simply a burst of emotion, or is there a more compounded neurological process occurring?
Let’s dive into the gripping science of anger, revealing what really goes on in your brain when that inner beast is let loose.
The Brain’s Fight Club: Where Anger Begins
When you experience anger, your brain’s alert system is triggered, and the amygdala—a small, almond-shaped cluster of neurons buried deep inside of the brain—sounds the alert.
According to Cleveland Clinic, the amygdala is responsible for processing emotions, particularly those related to survival like fear and anger.
You know that “fight or flight” response? That’s what we’re talking about here.
When a potential threat triggers the amygdala, it functions like an alarm, sending out a signal to other parts of the brain that distress and danger are present.
The hypothalamus, which controls the self-sufficient portion of the nervous system, is where the distress and danger signal is sent first. This is where that “fight or flight” response is switched to the “on” position.
The hypothalamus sets adrenaline free, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and energy levels—basically preparing your body for action.
Muscles tense up, the face flushes, and breathing become more rapid—all signs that your brain is preparing for war.
The Cortex: The Cause of Reason or the Spark of Rage
While the amygdala performs to protect us from danger, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) hurries in to decifer what’s occurring more fairly.
The PFC, located in the front area of your brain, is in charge of higher-level functions like making decisions, solving problems, and displaying self-control.
It assesses the threat and decides whether the anger is justified or if it can be handled in a less uncontrollable way.
However, when anger is extreme, the amygdala can take over the PFC’s ability to keep things under control.
This is what’s known as “amygdala hijack,” a term crafted by psychologist Daniel Goleman.
During an amygdala hijack, the reasonable part of your brain is dominated by emotion, leading to hasty reactions—yelling, slamming doors, throwing and breaking dishes, punching or kicking the wall, slamming a fist into the dashboard in the car, or worse.
This explains why, in the heat of the moment, you might say or do things you later regret.
Neurotransmitters: Fueling the Fire
Neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemical messengers, also play a crucial role in the anger response.
Two main chemicals involved here are dopamine and serotonin.
Dopamine is usually related to things like pleasure and reward. It’s also involved in the expectation of confrontation. It can ignite feelings of anger, especially when you’re faced with a situation where you feel you need to stand your ground.
We’ve all been there.
Serotonin, on the other hand, helps regulate mood and aggression.
Low levels of serotonin have been connected with increased irritability and impulsive anger, according to an article written by Sofi da Cunha-Bang and Gitte Moos Knudsen, making it harder to keep that inner rage in line.
The Aftermath: Icing Down the Inflamed Brain
Once the initial river of rage and anger passes, the brain and body start returning to a normal, in control function.
The parasympathetic nervous system, which acts as a cirrectione to the “fight or flight” response, assists in slowing the heart rate down, lowering blood pressure levels, and returning the body to a state of rest from the tornado of fierce emotion.
The PFC comes into the picture again and gets control of things again, allowing the brain to think more rationally about the situation then begins to heal any damage causes by the rage and fury that took place.
On the other hand, if anger becomes a more concentrated way of life, that can have long-term negative effects on the brain.
Research shows in one study in an article by Amy F. T. Arnsten, that chronic anger can lower the actions of the PFC, impairing decision-making and increasing the chances of more frequent outbursts fueled by anger, rage, and uncontrolled emotion.
A Wrap-Up About Anger
Anger is a persuasive controlling emotion situated deep in our brain where our survival system exists.
Being needed when handling threatening or dangerous situations, when we look at the neurological process behind it, that can help us control it a little more effectively.
As with any learned skill, when we experience an imminent amygdala hijack, we can recognize, analyze, and practice procedures to calm down and keep the explosion of rage and anger from happening.
When we feel rage and anger building, we can work on remembering that it truly is all in our head and use our own power to cool that down with education about what’s happening, taking action to change direction, and incorporating mindful self-care techniques to bring our brain back to a normal resting rational state of mind.
MY MINDFUL REQUEST:
Drop me a line and let me know what self-care mindful calming techniques you use to keep from getting angry. I’d love to hear from you!