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Need to Know
Anger can feel like frustration, resentment, or rage, and it is often triggered by unmet expectations, stress, or feeling misunderstood.
It’s also a physical response that can include a racing heart, tense muscles, or feeling hot, reflecting the body’s stress response.
Anger can be connected to specific events, but it may also arise unexpectedly or feel out of proportion to a situation, which can indicate larger issues such as lack of sleep, a mental health condition, or ineffective coping mechanisms.
Venting about what makes us angry can feel like a release, but research shows it often escalates those emotions — for both us and our audience — instead of helping us let go.
Exposure to negative news, hateful rhetoric, personal attacks, or cultural conflicts — especially through social media — can intensify feelings of anger and make them more frequent.
Although occasional anger is normal, frequent outbursts or suppressed anger can harm relationships, work, and well-being.
Anger is often linked to deeper emotions, such as sadness, fear, or frustration, so reflection is key to understanding and managing it effectively.
Things to Avoid
Avoid shaming anger or labeling it as bad. It’s a natural response we can’t always stop or avoid, but we have a choice in how we cope with it and the actions we take.
Don’t suggest ignoring or suppressing anger, because that can lead to resentment or explosive reactions later.
Avoid promoting unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as retaliation, revenge, numbing, or gossiping as ways to process anger.
Avoid normalizing anger as a response to everyday frustrations, especially on social media. Venting or ranting online may feel like it helps or connects with an audience, but research shows it can increase anger in both the creator and their community unless paired with constructive takeaways.
Your Opportunity
Share practical techniques for managing anger, such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or journaling, to inspire your audience to process emotions constructively.
Expressing anger on social media is common, but you have the opportunity to shift the conversation by sharing how you cope with anger and find calm before reacting.
Highlight the importance of recognizing anger’s root causes and demonstrate ways to reflect on and address the emotions behind it, such as frustration or fear.
Use your platform to model healthy communication, such as setting boundaries or framing frustrations constructively, to show your audience how to navigate difficult emotions.
Channel your anger into working toward constructive change, especially when your anger stems from unfair social dynamics, such as sexism or racism. You can work together with your community to offer mutual support and address the issues fueling your anger.
Encourage your community to seek support when anger feels overwhelming, whether through therapy, self-help tools, or professional resources, and share links to helpful organizations.
Share resources for getting help, including the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Resources
The 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline →
Trained counselors available 24/7, 365 days per year via phone, text, or chat.
The Jed Foundation (JED) →
Find resources to understand and deal with anger.
Mental Health Is Health →
Find information and resources from this MTV Entertainment Studios Initiative.
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