High Blood Pressure and Anger

Blood pressure refers to the pressure with which the blood flows in the arteries. It is used to measure and determine the cardiovascular health of the person. High blood pressure means higher tension in the arteries as the blood flows through them. Heavy alcohol intake, obesity, heredity, sedentary lifestyle, and poor diet are some of the factors that can lead to high blood pressure.

High blood pressure may also be caused due to psychological factors such as anger, depression, etc. High blood pressure and anger are closely associated. Persons suffering from hypertension are known to be more angry, depressed, and anxious than those with normal blood pressure levels. Depressed or anxious people are at a higher risk of hypertension.

Psychological factors like anger, fright, and stress can cause high blood pressure even in the case of children and adolescents. Anger may be in the form of annoyance, irritation or resentment against something, someone or some incident.

Anger does not necessarily correlate with hypertension. But, suppressed anger definitely does. Holding back one’s anger and keeping it pent up inside can lead to serious physical, psychological, and medical implications. High blood pressure is one of them. Suppressed and unwarranted anger can lead to serious problems such as depression, cancer, and in extreme cases, even heart attack.

High blood pressure caused by anger is a very serious health problem that demands immediate attention. Uncontrolled hypertension can make the individual susceptible to the risks of cardiac disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney problems, and organ damage.

High blood pressure due to anger may be cured by first treating the anger causing the rise in blood pressure. Stress management and anger management techniques are quite useful in such cases.

Teaching the patient to relax through Yoga or meditation may also yield the desired results. Helping the person give vent to the anger and resentment pent up inside is also very important.

Through the use of these techniques, the person may be able to express the built-in anger and channelize it in some useful direction. Once anger has been controlled, blood pressure will be back to the normal controlled limits.