The Relationship Between Anger and Pain

So many disabilities involve trying to cope with long-term physical pain. Do you sometimes find yourself angry over how pain keeps you from doing things you want to do? That anger is born of frustration, and it can make any situation worse. Pain can affect the quality of our sleep and can eventually lead to depression. Anger intensifies pain, making it worse.

Managing pain means addressing all the factors that contribute to it. It’s important to get enough sleep, and have “pain-free breaks” when you are able to get away from your pain, and keep focused on outside interest, so there isn’t time to sink into depression. That’s a pretty tall order to maintain over a long period of time. Managing your anger can help manage your pain. But managing your anger may take a bit more effort.

Anger can have quite an effect on pain. When you’re angry, your muscles tense adding to your perception of pain. Anger can also include some of the same feelings that pain does: upset stomach, headache, feelings of hopelessness, and so on.

So, what can you do to control your anger? First, try to identify the things that are triggering it. When you are able to recognize situations likely to “go south,” then you can try to change before you get to the rage stage.

Try to recognize when you’re first starting to feel frustrated. Look at how you express your anger? Do you grit your teeth? Do you find yourself feeling your frustration climbing with each challenge you face? Does your stomach begin to knot, or can you feel the tension in other areas in your body? If you know how anger affects you, it’s easier to identify it when it starts and take steps to change your focus. Controlling your anger will help you cope with your pain.

If you are able to recognize when you’re starting to get angry, take a time out. Try to focus on something else other than whatever is bothering you. If you can move to a different place, do so. If necessary, try to let go of whatever is causing your anger for a while, then come back and examine the situation again. This gives you the opportunity to calm down and think more clearly.

Consider participating in some physical activity to help work off some of your anger. While it might be difficult if physical activity also increases your pain, if you can take a walk or exercise in another way, it might help.

If nothing else, try to consciously let go of your anger for your own sake. Anger takes a toll on your body and makes pain worse, so ask yourself if it’s worth letting yourself get worked up over the situation, especially if it’s one you can’t control. If you can manage to control your anger, you may find you have taken a big step toward managing your pain.