There are probably as many misconceptions about the experience of being angry as any other emotional state.

I’ve learned the most helpful way to think about anger and irritable is that it is not a primary problem itself, but a solution to something else. It may not be the most helpful solution, but from young children to our elders, anger usually is used because it works, even if what exactly it is trying to accomplish is not immediately evident.

There are also rare psychiatric conditions in which anger or irritability exists without a functional purpose, but this is far less common than the diagnoses in the community would lead you to believe.

While anger can be protective, and part of the normal range of human emotions, if you are reading this, it is likely getting in the way of your life and your relationships. It is probably worth exploring if there is a different way to experience life.