Modern society
has a propensity to have anger as a default button. It can be observed, amongst
many other occasions, in the instances of road rage or in the instances where
people hit each other whilst trying to get a bargain in shop sales. It is not a
good aspect of modern living, with life being sped up so that we no longer have
the space to assess the morality of our feelings and it is fed with the
determination to worship the god of commercialism.
The Harvard
School of Public Health has ascertained that people who lose their temper are
almost five times more likely to have a heart attack and more than three times
more likely to suffer a stroke within two hours of an outburst (‘Angry
outbursts cause fivefold increase in heart attack risk,’ www.telegraph.co.uk, 4 March 2014; ‘Angry people ‘risking
heart attacks’,’ www.bbc.co.uk,
4 March 2014). The study published in the European Heart Journal determined
that the risk of cardiac arrest increases dramatically among people with
existing cardiac conditions who get angry many times a day, although there is
still a risk for those who get angry less often and have better heart
conditions.
The risk of
either a heart attack or stroke increased nearly five times (4.74 per cent) in
the two hours after a frustrated outburst.
Meanwhile, the risk of stroke rose more than three times (3.62 per cent)
and the risk of ventricular arrhythmia (a potentially life-threatening
irregular heartbeat) also increased.
The risk of a
person at low risk (low cardiovascular risk with single outburst per month) was
one extra heart attack per 10,000 people per year compared to an extra four per
10,000 people with a high cardiovascular risk.
Five episodes
of anger a day would result in approximately 158 extra heart attacks per 10,000
people with a low cardiovascular risk per year, increasing to approximately 657
extra heart attacks per 10,000 among those with a high cardiovascular risk.
Although anger
was not the sole contributor, it was certainly a contributing factor.
Dr Elizabeth
Mostofsky commented: ‘Although the risk of experiencing an acute cardiovascular
event with any single outburst of anger is relatively low, the risk can
accumulate for people with frequent episodes of anger.
‘For example, a
person without many risk factors for cardiovascular disease, who has only one
episode of anger per month, has a very small additional risk, but a person with
multiple risk factors or a history of heart attack or stroke, and who is
frequently angry, has a much higher absolute excess risk accumulated over
time.’
In addition,
researchers from the University of Copenhagen stated, in the Journal of
Epidemiology and Community Health, that
having frequent arguments with partners, friends or relatives can increase the
risk of death in middle age (‘Constant arguing ‘increases premature death
risk’,’ www.bbc.co.uk, March 2014). The constant arguing
could increase a man or woman’s mortality risk by two or three times the normal
rate.
The categories
that were most vulnerable were men and those who were not in work. Men respond
to stressful situations with increased levels of cortisol, which may increase
their risk of adverse health outcomes. Men appeared to be particularly
vulnerable to the worries and demands generated by their female partners,
coupled with a higher risk of death than that normally associated with being a
man.
Being
unemployed is a stressful situation in any event so any negativity from
stressful social relationships would be detrimental to their health.
Dealing with
the worries and demands from close family was also linked with the higher
mortality by 50 – 100 per cent from all causes.
It was
acknowledged that an individual’s personality and his/her ability to deal with
stress was also an important factor. Other factors could include high blood
pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
If the risk of
death was an incentive to stop arguing, we are informed that continual heated
rows amongst married couples and depression can cause a risk for obesity (‘How
arguing with your spouse could make you fat,’ www.dailymail.co.uk, 22 October 2014). The researchers from
Ohio State University discovered that men and women with a history of
depression burned up fewer calories after a meal so the result was that there
was an increase in weight after an argument.
The same
article featured research from the University of Utah that revealed that
arguing with your spouse could also be bad for your heart. People who think
that their partner is unsupportive are more likely to develop heart disease.
Those who were upset are likely to develop higher levels of artery
calcification, which could result in greater risk of premature death.
The Bible
instructs us to control our anger. As Paul wrote: ‘”In your anger do not sin,”
[quoting Psalm 4: 4]. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and
do not give the devil a foothold.’ (Ephesians 4: 26 – 27) In the Old Testament,
it states: ‘Refrain from anger and turn from wrath’ (Psalm 37: 8) and ‘Do not
be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.’
(Ecclesiastes 7: 9) James reminds us: ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow
to speak and slow to become angry.’ (James 1: 19)
Being angry
affects every part of us – physical, mental, emotionally, and spiritually. We
are to ensure that we are to have the mind of God, having a balanced attitude
toward all situations – even when that means not getting into a rage.
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