ANGER: How this ended isn't sitting well

Symptoms

No patience. Short fuse. Over reactions. Little to no empathy. Feeling bitter and enraged at having been dismissed. Sleep disturbance. Difficulty retaining information. Distracted. Feeling tense all the time but trying not to show it.

What's going on

You're in survival mode. Being in fight-or-flight can cause anger to spill out of you onto innocent bystanders in your life. Or, even worse, in a brave attempt to spare the outside world, you might struggle to contain your anger by shutting down, causing internal stress, which can't be good for your immune system.

What this leads to

Unnecessary rifts with friends and family. Possible illness. Difficulty staying focused and present. Passive-aggressive behavior.

What helps

Not lashing out, not holding it in, or pushing it down.

Start here if you can't get past feeling angry

I wrote Day 8 of our 30-day guide, titled "Anger Management," because anger is a significant piece of the grieving process. When you metabolize your anger with intention and nonviolence, it can be energizing and help release internalized stress. When anger bubbles up, it hijacks your thinking, and you lose clarity and rationality, making it harder to process it healthily. We've compiled a list of go-to strategies so you can honor what you're feeling without shame or judgment, with a plan for managing this fight-or-flight reaction.