Bodily Clues to Anger

: Image by Jer Kunz via Flickr

Where do you feel anger in your body?

Have you ever noticed what kinds of sensations anger causes in your body? Do you suffer physically as a result of getting angry? Many people experience visceral sensations of heat, cold, numbness, tingling, and even pain as a result of being angry. When someone gets angry, people will comment: “His blood was boiling”, “Her face turned beat red!”, or “He nearly split a gut.” Anger has a physical and emotional component to it. Becoming aware of how anger affects us physically may provide us with clues to the source of our anger.

Family Anger Action Plan: List the areas of your body that have a physical manifestation of anger. If you have difficulty identifying any areas, ask those closest to you for feedback. What might these areas symbolize to you about the nature of your anger? For example, the head is the seat of thoughts and plans. The shoulders can carry the weight of the world. Your legs are designed to run from danger or leap into action. Your arms and hands reach out to embrace or cling. Your back or spine keeps you steady. Your feet keep you grounded. Play with various bodily metaphors and see if it provides any insight into your anger.