Angry Overflow Is Good for Mental Health, Here's the Explanation

HEALTHYWORLD-The happiest person is not a person who never shows anger, said a new finding.

That's because happiness is more than just feeling happy all the time, said the study authors.

Happiness is also about feeling other emotions, such as disappointment or anger, which are equally valuable for mental health.

Inevitably, in some cultures, there is a lot of pressure to feel good all the time.

But for some people, continuing to harbor unpleasant feelings can be a "time bomb" and create a feeling of being unhappy in the long run.

Although there are also some people who really can't be angry.

To study the effects of various emotions on overall happiness, researcher Maya Tamir PhD and colleagues at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, conducted interviews with 2,324 students in eight countries, including the United States.

The participants were surveyed about the feelings they experienced in their daily lives, and what feelings they most wanted to show.

Participants also answered questions about symptoms of depression and life satisfaction.

Not surprisingly, the findings published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that most participants hoped to be able to show more pleasant emotions in their lives.

But regardless of the type of emotion you most want to show and regardless of country or culture, participants who show emotions are best suited to the emotional conditions they experience, reporting greater life satisfaction and fewer symptoms of depression.

However, this study emphasizes that it does not mean that you are free to be angry with others, such as expressing bad words that hurt others.

For example, when you feel upset, you may speak in an irritated tone, but if it turns out that resentment has passed, it doesn't need to be artificial.

Because to be the key to happiness, the purpose of anger is to "remind", not satisfy emotions, Tamir said.

"What this research shows is that people who are happier are those who experience emotions naturally and positively. When anger is channeled properly, then recovery will be faster, no grudges, no regrets, and that is mentally healthy, which finally making life happier overall, "said Tamir.

Furthermore, future research is needed to see whether other types of unpleasant emotions, such as guilt, fear, sadness, or shame, are also important parts of life experience, Tamir said.