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The Importance of Anger and Rage
You have the right to be mad
Everyone gets angry. Anger is a natural emotion that humanity has plenty of experience with it. When expressed in healthy ways, anger is adaptive and necessary to help us understand, set, and maintain boundaries.
This piece will concentrate on how anger and rage affect survivors physically and mentally. Often, survivors are told they should not be angry and ‘just get over it.’ That is not what this article is about.
Instead, this piece shall examine the importance of anger and rage in healing from complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD).
Childhood Anger, Rage, and Complex Trauma
Anger, like all emotions, serves the purpose of alerting us we are in some distress. Although anger is uncomfortable mentally and physically, it motivates us to address our needs, desires, and threats. However, unprocessed anger leads to many problems.
When anger or rage is expressed appropriately, the survivor of complex trauma feels relief, and their bodies and minds have a chance to heal.
Researchers estimate that over 3% of people living in the United States have experienced complex trauma and, as a result, have formed CPTSD. This 3% might be an understatement in childhood, as complex trauma is common.
