The Link Between Depression and Anger: Facts, Treatments, and Coping Mechanisms

What Is the Connection Between Depression and Anger?

Irritability is one of the symptoms of depression as defined by the DSM 5 (The handbook therapists use to diagnose and treat mental health disorders). However, irritability does not fully describe the experience many people have with depression and anger. Anger, like all emotions, exists on a spectrum. We can experience everything from mild annoyance to blinding rage. 

Rage and explosive anger can be symptoms of depression. They are most commonly found in men and can change the way we approach treatment for depression.  

Before we dive into how anger affects depression, let’s learn more about depression.

What is Depression?

Anger can come from many different places, and depression is not the only mental health issue that lists it as a symptom. However, anger in depression has some unique facets. For one, researchers have found that as the severity of depression increases, so does the frequency and energy of angry outbursts.

Other symptoms of depression include:

• Depressed mood 
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities 
• Significant weight change
• Moving or thinking slowly
• Fatigue or loss of energy 
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt 
• Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
• Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.

Depression as Inward-Facing Anger

One theory of anger’s relation with depression is that depression is anger turned inward. Instead of anger outbursts at others, the anger is turned towards oneself, resulting in negative self-talk, low self-esteem, and feelings of worthlessness or guilt. 

To understand whether depression is a type of self-directed anger, we have to understand what anger is. 

Primary vs Secondary Emotions

A theory of emotions is that we have both primary and secondary emotions. The primary emotions of joy, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust are our initial reaction and behavior towards something new. Secondary emotions are all other emotions, including rage, hostility, annoyance, and irritability.

For example, if a car swerves in front of you on the highway, you’ll likely experience a mixture of the primary emotions of fear and anger. These emotions push you to steer the car out of the way and give the car that cut you off a warning honk. 

Secondary emotions exist to protect you from other uncomfortable feelings. They are formed from internal thinking patterns and years of previous experience. For example, if growing up your dad had bad road rage and you have vivid memories of uncomfortable car rides, you might experience shame or guilt after you honk at a car that cut you off. 

Anger is a primary emotion, but the emotions commonly felt with depression—the hate, rage, irritability, annoyance, hostility, and destructive anger—are secondary. They exist to protect you from other negative emotions, memories, or behaviors. 

Let’s look at some examples:

Oftentimes, our anger is trying to protect ourselves from depression. When we lash out at others, it’s easier to ignore the uncomfortable emotions inside us.

Treatment Options for Depression and Anger

Fortunately, there are many treatment options available for anger and depression. One theory of depression is that it is caused by neurochemical imbalances in your brain. Medication can help balance your brain and bring the peace and tranquility that anger and depression stole from you. However, medication isn’t always effective in treating the anger aspects of depression, as they are often rooted in deeper emotional needs and traumas. 

Talk to a mental health professional to find the best combination of medication, therapy, and coping mechanisms for you.

Therapy for Anger and Depression

Therapy can be effective in treating both anger and depression. However, the majority of counseling approaches for depression do not take into consideration anger, especially more extreme anger like hostility and anger bursts. If you struggle with both anger and depression, talk to your therapist about a hybrid approach. 

Therapy approaches that have been proven to help anger and depression-fueled anger include: 

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (or CBT) works by first acknowledging and then dismantling the cognitive distortions. Cognitive Distortions are thought patterns that are typically negative, untrue, and harmful. Both depression and anger use a lot of cognitive distortions. For example, “I didn’t get out of bed until two p.m. today so I’m a failure.” Is a cognitive distortion. So is “She’s always late, she's so lazy.” Both can contribute to inward-focused and outward-focused anger. CBT works to shine a light on these thoughts and dismantle them.  
• Emotionally Focused Therapy: Emotionally Focused Therapy (or EFT) works to change your anger from maladaptive to adaptive. It does this by examining the secondary emotions causing depression and angry outbursts. For example, you’re mad at your coworker for always being late, so you snap at her in the middle of a meeting in front of everyone. Anger might still be the primary emotion, but secondary emotions are feeding it. Maybe you feel like you’re not meeting your own work standards and you feel guilt or shame. Or maybe you feel insulted by her seemingly flippant behavior. By getting to the root of the issue, you can begin to understand why you are reacting with anger and take steps to change your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Anger Management Techniques

Therapy is a great way to uncover the root of your mental health concerns. It can prevent depression and anger from worsening and decrease the chances of another episode happening later in life. 

However, therapy can also take time, and sometimes you need relief from your symptoms immediately. Coping mechanisms for depression and anger management techniques can help you manage your symptoms day-to-day while you work towards a long-term solution through therapy or medication. For some people, implementing anger management skills can drastically improve their quality of life, health, and emotional regulation. 

Here are a few anger management techniques you can begin using today: 

• Know your triggers: Start a list on your phone or in a journal. Jot down every time you experience a surge in anger or anger-related emotions (shame, guilt, fear, annoyance, insult, etc.) See if there are any patterns in your triggers (like you tend to feel more anger in the morning, when you’re at work, or in the car). Knowing these triggers will help you plan anger management strategies around the times you’ll need them most.
• Know when to walk away: Sometimes the best thing you can do is take a break. Recognize the early warning signs of anger. Try to calm the anger before it gets to a bursting point. If the management techniques aren’t working, take a break from whatever it is you’re doing. 
• Practice healthy assertiveness: Many angry outbursts are a result of unvented emotions and crossed boundaries. By being proactive and assertive with your expectations and boundaries, you can prevent the unhealthy buildup of stress and anger that results in lashing out. Be mindful of the boundaries you instate and how you manage them; it can help to have a friend hold you accountable. 
• Accept your anger: This may seem counterintuitive, but ignoring anger will always make it worse. The anger is there, and it demands to be seen and heard. Instead of trying to push it down and ignore it, accept it. Let it wash over you, but before you act on it, think it through. What is your anger trying to tell you? What is the emotion behind the anger? Do you feel insulted or betrayed? If so, what boundary was crossed? Do you feel guilt and shame? If so, what internal expectation did you not live up to? If you can 
• Exercise: Exercising is beneficial in two ways. It decreases stress and increases endorphins, which are a feel-good hormone. If you can get away to take a quick walk or do some jumping jacks or pushups, it can help mitigate the angry emotions. You may even end up feeling better than you had. 

Don’t forget to practice self-compassion. Anger is a loud emotion, and learning to manage it is going to take time. When it’s layered on top of depression, managing it can feel like an impossible task. You won’t get it right every time, and that’s okay. Take small steps and celebrate every victory. 

If you need support, Lifebulb Therapy’s compassionate anger management and depression therapists are here for you. Give our team a call for more information or to schedule a session today.

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