Anger and Depression

People often picture depression as darkness, as lethargy, as the person who can’t get out of bed, and it absolutely can be. However, it also can be other things, such as functional depression, where a person may function in the workplace and may just seem quiet or aloof. Depression can also be deeply linked with anger, which is what we’re going to talk about today.

First, let’s start with anger itself. While there might often be negative connotations with anger, the fact of the matter is that it is a normal emotion, and there is nothing wrong with that emotion. On the contrary, anger can be an important signal when a boundary has been crossed and you have been wronged. Yet sometimes, conflict-averse individuals can bottle up their anger, which can cause it to turn inward and can lead to complications with depression.

Thus one important tool towards maintaining positive mental health is to find good ways to deal with powerful (but not negative) emotions, such as anger. How to discharge anger can differ from person to person. For some they channel it into exercise, or artwork, or music, just as a few examples. For more ideas about how to discharge anger, you can seek support from a parent specialist or from a therapist.

Yet, more than just anger turned inwards as a contributing or complicating factor of depression, it can also be a symptom of depression in and of itself. One-third of patients with depression report “anger attacks,” defined as sudden, powerful up-welling of anger.

Again, as a separate symptom of depression, there is nothing “wrong” or “negative” with anger. That doesn't change the fact, though, that there are healthy and unhealthy ways of dealing with these emotions from a behavioral point of view. Understanding where the anger comes from and what it is signaling can be an important part of managing that emotion. Again, this is something where support from a peer support specialist or mental health professional can help.

Wherever anger comes from, understanding it and learning about how it arises in you or in someone in your life can be important in managing it in a healthy way. Hopefully, posts like this one can help in that regard. If you would like to talk to one of our peer specialists about this, you can reach out to us at info@thelegalmindsociety.org.