Anger is clearly one of the most misused emotions. Certainly it plays a role in good emotional health when properly directed and channeled. But how many of us are successful at managing our anger this way? I see some many patients who lives are ruled by anger–most often directed at people who could care less and are probably not even aware of anger being directed at them. Certainly this application of anger is pathological in our relationships, but what about our health? You bet!
I have discussed telomeres at length in prior posts. Suffice it to say that they are the wicks of our lives…the shorter they are, the less time you have to live. Protect them at all costs.
So what does this have to do with anger? You guessed it–anger shortens telomeres.
In this particular article, researchers looked at cynically hostile people. Cynical hostility is defined as a personality trait characterised by general cynicism and mistrust in interpersonal relationships. Those expressing cynical hostility had shorted telomeres and higher levels of the enzyme telomerase that shortens telomere length.
For those of you who would brush off the results of this study (mainly because you know it describes you perfectly), understand that this is far from the only study linking anger and hostility to health problems. The connection is clear and real.
With this in mind, the question you HAVE to ask yourself….Is this reason I’m angry worth dying over????