Can anger really be addictive? As usual, it depends on how we define addiction.
Here’s a discussion from a Washington Post podcast hosted by Megan McCardle, that featured eminent psychologist Keith Humphries of Stanford. It’s 38 minutes, but worth a listen.
Why is anger so addictive? A psychologist weighs in.
Humphreys defines addiction broadly, in terms of repetitive engagement in an activity despite adverse consequences — particularly some level of harm to the participant.
In his view, it’s clear that a pattern of anger can qualify as an addictive behavior. Given that definition, I’d have to agree.
But I’ve also seen angry people referred to elsewhere as “rageaholics”, which suggests something directly comparable to alcoholism. That I see as misleading, since without the powerful impact of years, even decades, of heavy alcohol consumption, treating alcoholism would be a very different task indeed.
Humphreys takes pains to emphasize that “not everything someone does a lot is an addiction.” But, he suggests, almost anything we do a great deal can qualify as addictive, provided evidence shows that the activity itself is harmful.
Physiologically, too much anger can be bad for the heart. And of course, when anger passes, it can leave in its wake feelings of sadness and loss — a reactive state of depression.
As far as treatment, there are a number of evidence-based approaches. Cleveland Clinic has an overview that might prove useful.
Nowadays, in the world of social media, anger is commonly manipulated by people and businesses as a way to attract attention. Our current era of partisan politics has refined this to an art. The hope is that by provoking anger in the consumers, they will identify with one side or another of a dispute, loyally follow that side’s links to sites that reinforce their partisan message. Perhaps even donating to their cause, or purchasing their overpriced merch.
This anger-generating activity is frequently done with great cynicism by highly paid professionals, for the most self-serving of reasons. And it continues day after day, year after year, on different social media platforms, exposing millions to its effects.
With what cumulative impact on the rest of us, I wonder?
