Depression and anger are closely connected. In fact, irritability, frustration, and anger outbursts are common symptoms of depression. Likewise, depression may trigger feelings of anger with yourself or others. Depression and persistent anger may also correspond with issues related to emotional regulation and impulse control. Identifying and treating these symptoms can make a significant difference in how you feel.
What Is Depression?
Depression can range in severity, and there are numerous types of depression that are diagnosed based on the frequency, intensity, and specific kinds of symptoms someone is having.
Common depression symptoms include:
- Persistent sadness or low mood throughout the day
- Feeling worthless or helpless in most situations
- Experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm
- Difficulties with concentration
- Losing interest in enjoyable hobbies and meaningful relationships
- Sleep disturbances
- Significant changes in appetite or weight
- Unexplained aches, pains, or other physical tension
- Feeling excessively restless
- Increased irritability
- Having low energy throughout the day
What Is Anger?
Anger is a reactionary emotion. It’s important to remember that there are different types of anger.1 For example, some people become violent when they feel angry. In those cases, the anger is apparent and dangerous. Other times, anger may be more covert. For example, instead of shouting at someone, you might respond with a passive-aggressive reply or gossip behind their back.
Here are several common symptoms of anger:2
- Racing thoughts
- Explosiveness
- Impulsive behavior (shouting, making threats, hurting people you love)
- Feeling like you can’t control your emotions or reactions
- Headaches
- Persistent irritation towards other people
- Elevated blood pressure
- Chronic muscle tension or tightness
- Memory problems
- Hostile thoughts
- Extreme thoughts about justice or revenge
Is Anger a Sign of Depression?
Anger can be a noteworthy sign of depression, especially in males and teenage patients. Many people in those populations feel more comfortable displaying anger and hostility vs. appearing sad or tearful.
What Do Depression & Anger Outbursts Look Like?
The anger outbursts linked to depression can seem odd and unexpected. Often, they come without warning and can involve a mix of feelings and emotions.
Angry depression outbursts could look like:
- Short but intense anger
- Irrational thought processes
- Jumping to conclusions that do not make sense
- Displays of anger mixed with or followed by sadness, shame, or guilt
- Blaming another person or a group of people for the feelings or situation
- Lack of insight regarding the source of anger
Why Does Depression Sometimes Present as Anger?
Anger typically arises in response to a real or perceived threat. Whether it’s being rejected, disrespected, or betrayed, these experiences trigger a sense of powerlessness that can quickly spiral into anger. Experiencing multiple episodes without learning how to cope appropriately may reinforce depression.
Research suggests that anger may play an influential role in depression. In fact, some clinicians postulate that depression is simply “anger directed inwards.” Today, many theorists and mental health professionals argue that subsequent challenges associated with coping with anger may trigger the onset and maintenance of depression.3
Does Depression Cause Anger?
People with depression symptoms often exhibit symptoms of overt or suppressed anger.4 For one, their depression may make them feel upset with themselves. In addition, depression can make it challenging to cope and reconcile anger. If you lack the energy or motivation to use healthy coping skills, difficult emotions can quickly compound and become overwhelming.
However, in mental health, it’s far too simplistic to assume that one condition causes another symptom or issue. Instead, it’s better to assume that there is likely a correlation, and many confounding variables may contribute to this relationship. In this case, depression may trigger more anger, and unresolved anger might exacerbate depression.
What Causes Anger With Depression?
Anger and depression don’t always come from a single source. Numerous experiences or variables can contribute to how you feel, including brain chemistry, gender, lifestyle habits, life stressors, history of trauma, and co-occurring conditions.
Here are different causes of anger with depression:
Brain Chemistry
From a neurological perspective, certain chemical imbalances can trigger mental health problems. For instance, research shows that the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with learning and memory, might be smaller in people with depression.
Subsequently, the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, glutamate, and GABA are all associated with mental health. If they have communication problems, it can impact how you feel.
Gender
In many cases, it’s more socially acceptable for a man to be aggressive vs. tearful. As we know, young men are praised to “act tough” and be strong.5 Women are typically socialized to avoid anger, although crying tends to be safer. Therefore, men who showcase anger may really be struggling with depression. Furthermore, women who present with depressive symptoms may have serious cases of suppressed anger.
Poor Lifestyle Habits & Lack of Support
From a sociocultural perspective, environmental factors may contribute to anger and depression. For example, poor lifestyle habits like substance use, overworking, inadequate nutrition, and a limited support system may exacerbate mental health problems.6
Life Stressors
Many people experience elevated mental health issues during transitional times. For example, you may feel heightened emotions during significant milestones like changing careers, entering or exiting a relationship, having a baby, or enduring a specific loss.
History of Trauma
Furthermore, a history of trauma can undoubtedly trigger more anger and depression. This is especially true when the trauma is unresolved or a source of guilt and shame.
Co-occurring Conditions
Depression frequently occurs with other mental health conditions, and these combinations may trigger more anger. Depression & anxiety and substance use disorders are connected strongly to expressions of irritability, anger, and aggression.
Treatment for Angry Depression
While angry depression can feel overwhelming and difficult to control, there are many treatment options that can help change the way you feel, like therapy, anger management, and medication.
Here are different forms of treatment for angry depression:
Therapy
Working with a professional therapist can help you learn more about your mental health triggers and develop healthier coping tools to manage distress. When searching for a therapist in an online therapist directory, consider searching for a provider who specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
CBT for anger helps people effectively manage emotions by examining the relationship between problematic thoughts and behaviors. Learning how to challenge and change these thoughts can improve how you feel.
Medication For Anger & Depression
Medication for depression and medication for anger can also help reduce the severity of your symptoms. SSRIs such as Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and Prozac (Fluoxetine) help balance the neurotransmitters impacting your emotions and mood. As a result, these antidepressants may boost your overall mood and help you feel less reactive to stressful situations.
Brain Stimulation Therapies
Therapies like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and others work by stimulating the brain without therapy or medications. The goal here is to limit depression, which in turn, lowers the unhealthy expression of anger.7
Anger Management Techniques
Anger management is a form of therapy often offered in a group setting with other people who struggle with anger. The treatment will focus on identifying the triggers of anger, the thoughts and feelings these triggers create, and healthier reactions that lead to more positive results.
Dealing With Anger & Depression
Lifestyle changes can also help lessen or eliminate symptoms of anger and depression. Consider reflecting on your daily routine. Do you take adequate time to care for your physical and emotional well-being? Are you getting enough sleep and exercising regularly? If not, focusing on optimizing your routine may be the first step.
Here are ways to deal with anger and depression:
Identify & Understand Triggers
You can never hope to improve your anger until you can understand it. Take time when you are calm to think about your anger, when it emerges, what makes it better, and what makes it worse. Without knowing where you’re starting, you cannot get to your destination.
Explore Healthy Outlets
If left to grow and fester, anger will come out in negative ways, so develop healthy coping mechanisms to let out your anger. Walking, swimming, boxing, and other physical activities are great options, but you could also paint, dance, yell, or any other expressive outlet.
Develop Self Compassion
Feeling shameful, guilty, critical, or disappointed in yourself will not shrink anger. Knowing how to love yourself and how to forgive yourself for the mistakes of the past is vital. Meditation for anger can be a great way to develop more self-compassion.
Accept Others
After you accept yourself, you’ll need to accept others. Of course, people can be frustrating as they make mistakes, annoy you, and disrupt your plans, but you cannot control them. Accept their actions and embrace your differences.
Find an Early Warning System
Once you become skilled at tracking your anger, you can start warning other people of your state. Advising them to steer clear for a few minutes can go a long way to reduce outbursts and hurt feelings. You protect yourself by protecting them.
Final Thoughts on Depression & Anger
Depression and anger can feel frustrating if they are chronic and interfering with your quality of life. However, if these symptoms continue to cause you distress, don’t hesitate to reach out for support. Talking about your feelings and learning new ways to manage them can help you feel better in your daily life.
For Further Reading
Depression and Anger Infographics
