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Anger is one of the basic emotions and a natural, instinctive response to threats. Anger is perceived as a negative feeling. It is a part of the body’s “fight, flight or freeze” response that helps protect us from any threats or danger.
Everyone experiences anger from time to time. It is completely normal to feel angry at times. Anger is a way to express your negative feelings. It can even give you further motivation to solve the problem you’re facing.
A problem arises when people are not able to control their reactions and handle their anger. Excessive anger can cause problems and even affect physical and mental health. This can lead to anger issues that need to be managed.
A variety of reasons can lead to people being angry. Each person experiences anger differently. Certain circumstances may anger one person and not affect another person at all. Grief can also contribute to angry outbursts.
Angry reaction refers to the frustration that people feel in response to criticism or mistreatment. A large study conducted by researchers at The University of Massachusetts identified genetic susceptibility for angry temperament or proneness to anger. The study also identified people with angry reactions. These people were found to agree with statements such as
- “I get angry when I’m slowed down by others’ mistakes.”
- “I feel annoyed when I am not given recognition for doing good work.”
- “It makes me furious when I am criticized in front of others.”
- “I feel infuriated when I do a good job and get a poor evaluation.”
Triggers of anger vary from person to person, and each person may react differently. Common triggers include
- Feeling attacked, threatened, or deceived
- Feeling disrespected powerless
- Being treated unfairly
- Problems caused by people around
- Personal problems
- Pain
- Uncomfortable environment
- Grief
- Traumatic memories or incidents
Certain events or circumstances can lead you to experience anger. Anger manifests in many ways, and you display certain signs that show your anger. The angry reaction is characterized by various signs and symptoms. These include
- Increased heart rate
- Sweating
- Churning stomach
- Shaking or trembling; some people may feel like fainting
- Tension
- Pacing around
- Tightness in the chest
- Feeling anxious, nervous
- Verbal or physical responses that can be harmful in some cases
- Shouting, yelling, or crying
Researchers have found that anger can run in families. Genetics influences behaviors such as anger to a certain extent. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that anger may be influenced by changes in certain genes like the serotonin gene. Serotonin is a hormone associated with anger and aggression.
The PHEX gene carries instructions for the production of an enzyme called phosphate regulating endopeptidase homolog X-linked. This enzyme is found mainly in bones and teeth. Studies have shown that changes in this gene can influence anger.
rs3752433
rs3752433 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP in the PHEX gene. Carriers of the A allele were found to have increased aggression and frustration.
The MBOAT1 gene carries instructions for the production of an enzyme called membrane-bound O-acyltransferase domain containing 1. This enzyme is involved in the transfer of organic compounds. Studies show that changes in this gene influence anger.
rs555017
rs555017 is an SNP in the MBOAT1 gene. Carriers of the T allele are found to have increased aggression and frustration.
Apart from your genes influencing how you react in a frustrating situation, other factors like the event or circumstance itself, the social environment around you, your state of mind can affect how you react. Certain other factors that influence angry reaction include:
Health conditions
Anger is associated with various mental health conditions like anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder. Having any mental or physical health condition can lead to more anger of frustration.
Alcohol abuse
Frequent use of alcohol abuse increases aggression and can change how you react to frustrating situations. Alcohol use impairs your thinking, and this can make it harder to control your emotions, and you may react differently and have more frustration.
Having an angry reaction is common, but how you handle it matters. Letting your anger go out of control can lead to problems. There are several strategies to manage your angry reaction. These include
- Think before you act. Sometimes, walking away from the situation can help you analyze the situation better, take control, and then react accordingly instead of taking hasty decisions at the moment.
- Count to 10. Taking a few seconds to count to 10 can reduce the intensity of anger and prevent unwarranted rage.
- Be aware of the changes happening when you feel angry. This can help you think before you react.
- Tension tends to build up in your body when you feel angry. Relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, uncross your arms and legs to release this tension.
- Try relaxing techniques like meditation, deep breathing to prevent anger from escalating.
- Turn your aggressive energy into exercising. This helps release energy and also keeps you healthy.
- Try to understand the situation or the person triggering your feelings of anger. Empathizing may change your perspective and help control feelings of anger.
https://www.apa.org/topics/anger
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/anger
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/anger-management/art-20048149
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326155
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0087257
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10513148/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070309103136.htm
The term "self-Esteem" is used to describe a person's subjective sense of self-worth or value. It is basically the opinion you have about yourself or how much you like and appreciate yourself. This is integral to a person's identity.
Self-Esteem is often referred to as self-worth, self-regard, or self-respect also. It includes all the beliefs about yourself, like the appreciation of how you look and feel, your behavior, and how you feel about specific attributes or abilities that you have.
The right level of self-esteem is needed. Too much or too low self-esteem can be harmful. A high level of self-esteem, taking into account a realistic point of view, is considered to be ideal.
Self-Esteem is important for self-motivation and achieving success. Studies show that high, realistic self-esteem is important for maintaining good mental health. It is also crucial for the development of a child. Children need to be treated with kindness, love, and respect from an early age to develop positive self-esteem. The experiences that a child faces during their growing years are vital to shaping their self-esteem levels.
Employees who have a better sense of self-worth are found to focus better, require less time off, and also get along better with their team members.
People of certain genetic types have a higher likelihood of having better self-esteem and may exhibit characteristics such as being appreciative, encouraging, positive, accepting of other people, speak up, helpful, and focused on solutions rather than problems.
The OXTR gene carries instructions for the production of the oxytocin receptor protein. This protein acts as a receptor to oxytocin and binds to it. Oxytocin is a hormone and neurotransmitter, chemical messengers that transmit signals between neurons. This hormone plays a role in female reproductive functions. It also impacts social functions and emotions such as self-esteem, bonding behavior, empathy, trust, and optimism.
rs53576
rs53576 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or an SNP in the OXTR gene. Individuals with the GG genotype were found to have higher self-esteem, be more empathetic and optimistic. Carriers of the A allele were found to have a risk for negative mood states.
Gender
Young girls are found to have lower self-esteem than boys.
Family environment
Children who grow up without basic needs or in the presence of psychologically troubled adults are at a higher risk of developing self-esteem problems.
Discrimination
Discrimination based on age, sex, disability, or race has negative effects on self-esteem.
Other conditions
Children with physical disabilities or other challenges may struggle more with self-esteem issues compared to others.
The kind of people you interact with, your job, and comments or thoughts you hear from people around you have an impact on self-esteem.
Too much self-esteem can lead to a strain in personal relationships, and the person may lack empathy and not understand what problems the other person is going through. Too little self-esteem affects mental health. Mental health may deteriorate, and the person may feel depressed and make bad choices.
People with healthy levels of self-esteem will take better care of themselves and will take decisions that will enhance them rather than break them. They tend to have a positive outlook on life and feel confident.
It is okay to have low self-esteem from time to time. That's a part of life. Prolonged periods of low self-esteem can pose a problem and may lead to
- Depression
- A feeling of hopelessness
- Suicidal thoughts
- Mental disorders
- Drug or alcohol abuse
- Decrease in productivity
People with low self-esteem struggle with expressing their thoughts, lack confidence, have a negative outlook on life, and tend to put others' needs before their own. They usually have a negative outlook on life and are scared of failure.
Healthy levels of self-esteem are necessary to maintain mental health, boost self-confidence, and have a good, quality life. There are ways by which you can address self-esteem issues and boost self-esteem.
- Find the reason behind why you have low self-esteem and look for things that affect it. Once you identify the cause, you can address it and make changes to improve your self-esteem.
- Respect the work you do and understand how important you are. Don't put others' needs in front of yours always, and keep track of how much you're helping someone else without taking care of yourself. Saying no when you think you have too much on your plate is okay and understandable.
- Make time for yourself to appreciate yourself and how far you've come.
- Take care of yourself. Do not resort to measures that can affect your health. Taking care of your health is equally important to boost self-esteem.
- Set goals for yourself and try to achieve them. Completing goals regularly can help build self-esteem.
- It's okay to ask for help when you need it or if you feel too low.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy may be recommended by a doctor to help deal with very low self-esteem issues that interfere with the quality of life.
https://www.healthline.com/health/self-esteem
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/self-esteem/art-20045374
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-self-esteem-2795868
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/self-esteem
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25564674
https://academic.oup.com/her/article/19/4/357/560320
https://www.pnas.org/content/108/37/15118
A reaction is the inherent ability of an organism to perceive a stimulus and respond to it. Reaction time, also called response time, is the amount of time from perceiving something till we respond to it. This trait is controlled by the body’s central nervous system that is made up of billions of neurons. These neurons receive the sensory input from the stimuli and relay this information to the brain. The brain then instructs the body to react. So, the process of a reaction basically involves three steps– detection, processing, and responding to something.
The reaction time of an individual depends upon:
- How they perceive the stimulus using their senses
- How they process the stimulus - one needs to be focused and understand the information sent by their senses
- Motor agility: This helps them respond quickly and appropriately.
An alteration or delay in any of the above steps can result in a longer reaction time. People with short reaction times tend to have good reflexes. Since reaction times arise from good cognitive abilities, individuals with neurodegenerative disorders, problems with sensory perception, and motor problems tend to have longer reaction times. Common conditions associated with long reaction times are ADHD, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, MS, and Huntington’s Chorea.
All personality traits and cognitive functions help us in one way or the other. Having a short reaction time is very important and, in fact, is essential to keep you safe in your everyday life. From perceiving a stimulus in time to reacting to it helps people get by their daily routine - from cooking to driving and pretty much everything you do is based on reaction time.
It is common to confuse reaction time with reflexes - reflexes are involuntary actions whereas, reaction time is associated with voluntary movements that one makes consciously.
Genetics influences reaction time in an individual. But, there are some non-genetic factors that can accentuate or aggravate reaction times. These are:
- Age: Though older people take the same time as younger people to assimilate information or perceive a stimulus, they take longer to react to them, thereby increasing reaction times as one age.
- Gender: Men have faster reaction times compared to women. However, a study by Jevas and Yan (2001) stated that age-related deterioration of reaction times was the same in both genders.
- Fatigue: It was found in multiple studies over the years that individuals who are deprived of sleep had longer reaction times.
- Distraction: People who failed to concentrate or were easily distracted in simple tasks like driving a car had longer reaction times. Another classic case of distraction is when one attempts to multitask. When you multitask, the two or more tasks compete for the brain’s cognitive resources resulting in slower reaction times.
- Alcohol Influence: This chemical substance slows down the body and, therefore, affects the reaction times in the inebriated.
- Hydration levels: A few hours without water can affect one’s reaction time.
- Type of stimulus: Reaction to auditory stimuli was found to be shorter than that for visual stimuli.
- Time of the day: It has been suggested by many studies that the time of the day affects reaction time. People have shorter reaction times during the early morning as compared to tonight because of increased fatigue in the latter part of the day.
Everyone may not have lightning-fast reflexes, but that shouldn’t be a dampener if you wish to improve your reaction time. Here are some ways by which you can shorten your reaction time:
Performing an action repeatedly improves the reaction time of an individual in that activity. This is why athletes and sportspersons do the same drills repeatedly when practicing. A good way to improve your reaction time is by playing a sport of your choice. Physical activity stimulates the nervous system to respond to a stimulus after processing information quickly, thereby shortening reaction time.
Learning to be calm by adopting relaxation techniques can help you reduce your reaction times. Studies have shown that staying calm strengthens the mind and enables better reaction time.
Foods that are rich in antioxidants, vitamin K, and tyrosine are said to boost brain function, including alertness and cognitive abilities. These, in turn, can help shorten reaction times.
People who play video games have incredibly short reaction times because that is what the games demand. This is, in fact, a good way to improve your reaction time as people tend to develop a heightened sense of their surroundings.
A simple throw and catch game with a tennis ball is very useful in improving reaction times in people.
Overworking and not getting adequate sleep at night can fatigue not just your body but also your brain. Fatigue is known to prolong reaction time, and therefore, in order to improve your reaction times, you must get your recommended 8 hours of sleep each night.
https://www.cognifit.com/science/cognitive-skills/response-time
https://www.hptinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Factors-Affecting-Reaction-Time1.pdf
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-improve-reaction-time#for-gaming
https://www.reflexion.co/blog/improve-reaction-time/
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/oct/01/seven-ways-to-improve-your-reflexes
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-09/uos-bsr092314.php
The COMT gene is responsible for producing an enzyme called catechol-O-methyltransferase. This enzyme helps in the breakdown of catecholamines, thereby inactivating them. Catecholamines, termed as fight or flight hormones, include dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. They are produced in response to stress. They are responsible for increasing heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, muscle strength, and alertness. They also play a role in increasing blood flow to major organs like the brain, heart, and kidneys.
COMT is one of the enzymes involved in the breakdown of dopamine in the brain. This occurs in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. This part of the brain is involved in cognitive function and decision making.
COMT gene comes in two main variants - one that breaks down dopamine quickly and the other one that breaks it down slowly.
One variant produces high levels of the enzyme, which breaks down dopamine faster, leading to its lower levels in the brain.
The other variant produces lower levels of the enzyme, which results in slower breakdown of dopamine, resulting in its higher levels in the brain.
The COMT gene variants are influenced by the allele present at rs4680.
rs4680, also called Val158Met, is a well studied SNP in the COMT gene.
The G allele here is associated with higher COMT enzymatic levels compared to the A allele.
The presence of two A alleles at rs4680 results in lower enzyme activity. This leads to dopamine build-up in the brain. People with the AA type are more susceptible to stress, anxiety, and pain and are called “worriers.”
The presence of two G alleles at rs4680 leads to elevated enzymatic levels. This results in faster breakdown of dopamine. People with the GG type clear dopamine quickly at times of stress and can fight it out better. They are referred to as the “warrior.”
There’s also a third and much less discussed variant. Here, there’s one copy of the A allele and one copy of the G allele at rs4680. People with the AG type have higher dopamine levels than the AA type and lower levels than the GG type.
They are assigned a status that’s between a worrier and a warrior. The outcome of AG genotype can be as follows:
A higher likelihood of warrior personality (compared to AA type);
A higher likelihood of worrier personality (compared to GG type)
| Genotype | Implication |
| AA | Higher levels of dopamine |
| AG | Intermediate levels of dopamine (lower than AA genotype and higher than GG genotype) |
| GG | Low levels of dopamine |
Despite the negative connotation to the word “worriers,” these people are at certain advantages as well. They are known to be:
- better verbal memory and reading comprehension
- a more positive outlook towards life
Dopamine promotes the feeling of pleasure and reward, which can help with better attention and memory. Some ways of boosting dopamine levels include:
- Increasing protein intake
- Consuming probiotics
- Exercising
- Enough sunlight exposure
- Getting adequate sleep
Higher dopamine levels have been associated with addiction and mental disorders like ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. The “reward” feeling elicited by dopamine makes you want ‘more of something.’ When the levels of dopamine are higher than normal, this behavior can result in addiction.
- Inhaling lemon essential oil speeds up the breakdown of dopamine and contributes to anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects.
- Tryptophan and 5-HTP are two amino acids that deplete excess dopamine. They are available as supplements. However, it is important to consult a qualified medical practitioner before getting started on any supplements.
- Licorice root, a common ingredient in candies, is being studied for its antidotal properties for cocaine addiction, as it blocks dopamine production. However, the US FDA mentions that licorice containing food must be consumed in moderation.
- Vitamin B6 is a cofactor required for dopamine synthesis. Dopamine toxicity has been managed in animals by vitamin B6 administration.
1. COMT gene encodes the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase that is involved in the metabolism of catecholamines like dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
2. COMT gene has two variants - one that breaks down dopamine quickly, and the other that breaks it down slowly.
3. rs4680, also known as Val158Met, is an SNP in the COMT gene. The G allele of this SNP is associated with higher enzymatic levels compared to the A allele.
4. People with AA type have higher levels of dopamine. They don’t perform well under stress and are called worriers. People with the GG type have lower dopamine levels. They perform better in stressful situations and are called warriors.
5. The third type, AG, is associated with intermediate dopamine levels. People with the AG type are assigned a status that is between a worrier and a warrior.
6. Levels of dopamine can be increased naturally by getting adequate sleep, exercising, sunlight exposure, consuming probiotics, and more protein.
7. Inhaling lemon essential oil, consumption of licorice root, and other supplements can help deal with high dopamine levels.
1. https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs4680
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3991696/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24782743/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24853458/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24225542/
6. https://www.haskins.yale.edu/Reprints/HL1712.pdf
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17687265/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16780969/
9. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090218223504.htm
