The election is over. Some of us are happy. However, it is clear watching the Sunday news talk shows that there are others who are very angry. If I am describing you, it is important to turn that around quickly so that it does not start to eat away at you. Anger especially if it is hostile can cause serious illness.

A recent study of over 5600 people in Italy found that those who scored highest on the anger and hostility scale had a 40% increase in thickening of their artery walls than those with the lowest score. Thickened arteries increase the chance of having a stroke or heart attack. Another study found that those with hostile anger and no evidence of heart disease initially were 19% more likely to develop heart disease later on than their mellower counterparts.

We know that longstanding anger can increase the risk of coronary disease, but what about a single bout of intense anger that can occur with road rage or when your candidate loses the election? A study done in Israel found that those who experienced intense anger had a 14-fold increase in stroke within two hours of the emotional incident. In a Missouri emergency room study of 2500 patients, 500 patients had an episode of severe anger prior to their injuries; the worse the anger, the more severe the injury.

If you are finding yourself angry all of the time, what can you do?
You can get out and exercise. That is a great stress reducer. Meditation can also be helpful. If you find that it is difficult to relax and let your feelings go, it may be time to see a therapist or look into anger management classes.

One of the more successful forms of therapy for anger is cognitive behavioral therapy. It is a structured therapy with a limited number of sessions that can help patients to take negative thoughts and emotions and act in a more positive way.

Anger can destroy you if you let it. Ask yourself this; is it worth dying for something you cannot change that is causing you to be irritated, upset and angry? If the answer is “No,” it is time to go and get some help today.