Читать книгу Managing Anger: Simple Steps to Dealing with Frustration and Threat - Gael Lindenfield, Gael Lindenfield - Страница 20

The state of heightened physical arousal which anger can induce can put considerable strain on our bodies. We should remember that it was designed (by whoever or whatever!) to be a temporary state. In order to function efficiently over sustained periods of time, the body should be in its decompressed state. If we keep our bodies working at emergency levels for long periods we run the risk of damaging them.

A vast amount of research has now established a link between the management of emotions and physical health. The results seem to be proving conclusively that serious damage does occur when the body is maintained in a highly stressed state for prolonged periods.

If we find a way of releasing the tension from our bodies, occasional states of anger will not damage us – indeed they can physically aid us to cope with the trials and frustrations of life. But chronic sustained anger can seriously damage our health. From research evidence to date and common clinical observations, we can say with confidence that it can:

– cause or exacerbate digestive disorders such as ulcers and gastritis through increasing acid secretion

– create hypertension

– raise our cholesterol levels

– damage and block our arteries

– aggravate heart disease

– exacerbate bowel conditions such as colitis

– increase our susceptibility to infection

– intensify pain

– create headaches and exacerbate sinus conditions

– contribute to inflammatory disorders of the muscles

– hinder our recovery from major traumas to the body such as operations or serious illnesses such as cancer or Aids.

I hope that this abbreviated list is sufficiently impressive to convince most of you of the immense potential cost to our bodies if we mismanage our anger.