Do you think anger is productive or non-productive?

Question

I have felt that anger is really a non-productive emotion. No one can make you angry if you don't let the anger in. I realize that anger needs to be dealt with, and how we deal with anger affects our health.

Yesterday hubby made this comment: There is enough calcium in anger to give you a backbone.

Comments?

Well, guess what? I just turned on Ed Young's program and he's talking about anger. I'm guessing there is a message here for me.

Oh, yes, hubby does have a sense of humor. I find myself writing some of his stuff down, too.

Answer 1

I would have to agree with your husband;that said,it's important to differentiate between anger and resentment.
anger is a normal human reaction to an affront,emotional or physical.resentment is when I choose to RE feel that anger over and over again.(yes sometimes I am that selfdestructive,lol)
I can give you an example of anger being productive,I was terrified of the ocean because of a childhood near-drowning incident;I was married to a man who loved to snorkle and scuba dive.he wanted a dive buddy,and I couldn't get [past my fear.He finally picked a fight with me about being a wimp.
well,once he got me mad,I was able to try it just to "show that jerk", and once I got my head under the surface of the water,I was COMPLETELY hooked.I was mad at him for being mean,but I have always also been grateful that he goaded me into facing that fear.the rewards were amazing.

Answer 2

I believe that anger can be both productive and definitely non-productive. On the down side, anger is an emotion that can leave you cold and bitter inside. It can make you say and do things that you normally wouldn't do leaving you full of regret afterwords. On the upside, I have also experienced that anger allows you a certain amount of freedom. When I am feeling nervous or anxious and not believing in myself, I tend to get a little angry....( only at myself) Once I feel that, I change my way of thinking and realize that I can do whatever I set my mind to. Not letting anger in seems a lot easier to say then do. In a perfect world it would be easy.

Answer 3

I think that at times anger can be very productive and at times it can be destructive.
Example: Someone is wronged and people rise up out of anger a force a change to be made so that this wrong does not happen again. That is productive anger.

Destructive Anger Example: Someone cuts you off in traffic and you flip them the bird. Pointless as it has accomplished nothing.

Answer 4

I think it CAN be both. More non-productive but if a person has NO anger ever--it would seem to show a very non-emotional person and I do think emotions are important for the human body. Anger is usually carried to an extreme therefore being bad. Emotions are important but can be carried to an extreme, therefore, making them not so good.

Answer 5

I cannot think of a single time where anger has been of any benefit to me. I say things that I wish I had not said, and as our friend Goldwing included in an answer he gave recently
"no matter how much you may apologize, the damage cannot be retracted."
When I feel anger coming on, I try to take a walk and just get away. If that isn't possible, I give my pillow a good talking to.
Or, I stand at the bathroom mirror and give myself a good tongue lashing.
A good cry works best for me.

Answer 6

Anger is instinctive; but that's a very poor excuse to loose your anger, or lose your peace.

It helps you fight off an attacker!
Then, YES, anger is productive!!!

That is why God gave it to us!

Not so we would kick the dog because we hate our boss!!! Then anger is really a non-productive emotion.

Answer 7

Not only is it non-productive. It can be Destructive, to the person radiating it. Hence the person that is the instigator of said anger is the one that needs to sort out their issues. Anger is a very negative thought or feeling. Acting on anger impulse all the time, will have an effect on your health, not too mention others around you. Any Psychiatrist, counsellor, or professional in that field will tell you that. Who ever the person you are referring to here, please tell them there is help available without making them feel bad. Good days are coming.
PS Hubby has a sense of humour. :-)

Answer 8

I wasn't allowed to express anger as a child. I learned to tamp it down and didn't realize until sometime in my 40's how full of anger I had become.
I Always thought: turn the other cheek, treat others as you'd be treated, a kind word turns away anger, and on and on.
My Mother told me in my 30's I needed to get angry. I thought I had it under control. she was referring to my husband. When I finally acknowledged anger I was amazed at how much of it was directed toward my Mother.
Input from many of you wise friends here has helped me deal with anger issues.

Answer 9

Has usually be the non-productive anger for me. Need to stop and think before I open my mouth more often. It can spur you into action though when you feel like doing nothing so its not all bad.Just need to learn to channel it to do good things.

Answer 10

I would have to aggree angry sex is the bext but anger can be both....productive if a person is constructively dealing with it..or dealing with the issue at hand to make it better to understand...unproductive if just being mad and not learning from the experience.

it can be taken in many ways its a matter of dealing with the situation and learning about the issue and then maybe not repeating it but actually to go through the emotion is good for its productive it teaches you how to deal with life...