Here is the third post in the series on anger.  It started with What Good Does Anger Do? then Why Rate Your Anger? Now we will look at what’s under all that anger.

Anger, with all of it’s intensity, can seem like a primary emotion, yet it’s really a secondary emotion. Below anger is always a deeper feeling of usually fear, hurt or sadness. For some people, feeling angry is an automatic reaction when triggered by an event; something someone said or didn’t say, or did or didn’t do. Or, we may feel angry at ourselves for things we said or did, opportunities we let pass by, etc. It’s less vulnerable to say you are feeling angry than to admit that you are feeling sad, scared, or hurt.

When we experience a surge of anger, bigger than it ought to be for the situation, it’s a clue that it is probably related to an old hurt from your past. Ask yourself: What might I be sad about? or What might I be scared about? The answer may give you a clue to what’s really going on within you.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis