5 Things That Happen to Our Body When We Shout, and How to Control It

A survey that was taken back in 2018 showed that 22% of its participants reported feeling angry, while 39% felt extremely worried. And while anger is a state of mind that is necessary for our survival, it often gets out of hand when our stress levels increase. And it can have many physical symptoms that we rarely realize until they have progressed quite a bit.

Bright Side has some advice to offer on how to control yourself when your anger levels rise.

1. Your heart rate and blood pressure increase.

You might have noticed that every time you raise your voice and have a heated argument, your heart rate increases. This means that your blood pressure rises up too, and that’s why you look flustered, with red cheeks and veins popping out of your skin. You are also breathing heavier and quicker, something that transfers oxygen and nutrients to your major organs. In some cases, you might notice that your hands and feet are colder than usual.

2. Your immune system takes a hit.

Researchers have found that even recalling a heated argument you had in the past will decrease your immune defenses for 6 hours. And this is especially true for people who are usually calm and anger is rare for them. People who get angry very easily might notice that they get sick more often, with their immune system being weaker. That, accompanied by their increased anxiety, puts their health at great risk without even realizing it until it’s too late.

3. Anger creates a variety of health problems.

When we get angry, stress chemicals flood our brains and bodies and keep making changes to our metabolism. That’s why people with untreated anger issues might suffer from headaches, anxiety, insomnia, and even digestion problems. Skin conditions, such as eczema, might also make an appearance during times of extreme anger. As a result, these people are in high danger of suffering a stroke or a heart attack.

4. Your memories might get affected.

It’s not only physical head trauma, like the kind you can experience while playing football, that affects the memories of people, but also increasingly stressful situations. One of those is having an angry verbal conversation with someone, where you both exchange harsh words. After the altercation is over, one or both of you might remember things differently or have completely forgotten certain stuff.

5. Yelling can cause chronic pain.

Yelling isn’t only bad for those who do it, but also for those who receive it, and the damage can start from a very young age. Shouting at kids can harm them in multiple ways.

• Their behavior problems can get worse. Some research found that parents who yelled a lot at their 13-year-old kids noticed even worse behavior during the next year of their lives.
• Their brain development changes. People who have been yelled at a lot during their childhood seem to have a different brain structure in the parts that process sound and language.
• They can suffer from chronic pain. Some of the issues that might follow them for the rest of their lives include back and neck pain, headaches, and even arthritis.

Yelling doesn’t win arguments.

Research shows that we shout during an argument because we are overconfident about being right, but underconfident that we will be heard. But people rarely win arguments by shouting, interrupting, and treating the other person’s claims as unworthy. They need to listen closely, understand each other’s points of view, and build on their differences. Reasoning and keeping calm is the only way to make your point seen and understood and, eventually, convince the other side.

How to stop yourself from shouting

There are certain steps that might help you control your anger and engage yourself in a healthy conversation without outbursts:

1. Think before you speak. The easiest thing is to say something hurtful and mean that you will later regret. But the damage will already be made and the other person might not be forgiving.
2. Express your frustration after you’ve calmed down. This way, you will manage to express whatever is annoying you in a healthy and reasonable way. The chances that the other person will respect and hear you are much higher this way.
3. Take a timeout to find possible solutions. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t let that state of mind drown you and, instead, take some peaceful time. During that time, try to think rationally and find solutions to whatever your problems are. Everything can be dealt with as long as you put your mind to it.
4. Don’t hold grudges. Forgiving people can release you from all the anger and stress that a bad moment with them offered you. Remember that everyone says and does things they don’t always mean and want forgiveness.
5. Try and look at things more humorously. Humor doesn’t mean sarcasm, and you should be careful with distinguishing the 2. Facing stressful situations with humor will help tone your anger down and approach issues in your life more efficiently.
6. Practice relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, listening to relaxing music, and repeating calming words can tone down your anger when it appears. You can do those while you’re in a state of calm at home or when something stressful appears on your plate.
7. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you can see that nothing helps and you can’t control yourself all alone, you can go to a professional. Of course, you will need to put in the work, but the expert will guide you in the best way possible to reach your goal.

Do you know of any successful ways to get rid of anger? Have you ever dealt with a person who couldn’t control their attitude and that had health issues as a result?