Do you get irritated by your co-workers grating voice? Do you hate how your classmate seems to drag his feet when walking? Are you always snapping at your wife every time she asks something?

Anger is a normal response when you feel threatened or humiliated. But if you get mad even at insignificant things, it could destroy your relationships at home and work or school.

Effects on Your Body
When you’re angry, your body is getting ready to defend itself or to flee from the perceived threat. The hormones responsible for getting your body to move fast during emergency situations are also responsible for the changes when you’re mad. If you’re always angry then your blood pressure is always up, you sweat a lot and your muscles are always tense. Chronic anger could cause hypertension, heart diseases, and even diabetes.

Mental Health Effects
Angry people are also more likely to abuse alcohol, dangerous drugs, gambling and food. They are also prone to making decisions and passing judgments without proper thinking and evaluation. The result sometimes triggers more negative emotions. You need to step back and re-evaluate the situation. Ask yourself what made you so angry. Are you afraid that you can’t control the outcome? Is the frustration and pain the result of an event in the past that you haven’t dealt with? Are you angry because you failed and you want to blame everyone but yourself? Or are you angry simply because you are exhausted?

Effects on Relationships
The people most affected by your uncontrollable anger are your loved ones. One way to express anger is to take it out on people close to you. Your co-workers might not notice that something is wrong with you, but your spouse, your children, your siblings, and your parents will. You might end up hurting them physically and verbally. Before abuse happens, you should seek help if you think your anger is turning you into a mindless raging monster.

Seeking Medical Help
The cause of your chronic anger might stem from medical conditions that need attention such as high total cholesterol in your blood, sugar imbalance caused by diabetes, hyperthyroidism that affects your metabolism, and depression. Some people also become moody when they are taking prescribed medication like sleeping tablets.

Avoid Getting Angry
You could also start by helping yourself avoid situations that make you angry, try breathing and relaxing exercises when you feel you’re about to burst, and surround yourself with good music and relaxing things. Lastly, you will need professional help to manage your anger. You’re not the only one suffering from chronic anger. There are anger management counselors and group support that can help you become better.