Anger

What it means

A state of excessive negative emotional reactivity characterized by strong feelings of hostility or antagonism typically in response to perceived provocation. It is often accompanied by physiological arousal (e.g., increased heart rate, muscle tension, or activation of the sympathetic nervous system) and expressions of blame, perceived injustice, or judgment. The experience of anger may be directed outwardly toward individuals, groups, objects, or abstract entities, or inwardly toward oneself.

Anger is a human emotion with evolutionary relevance to the reaction to threats and serves to prioritize or coordinate responses. The subjective experience of anger is ubiquitous in psychiatric conditions and not a specific, nor a necessary component, of any one condition or psychopathological state. Disruptions in personal, social, or occupational functioning or behaviors are associated with an inability to internally regulate anger.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Explosive temper · Extreme hostility · Furious · Fury · Hostile · Hostile outbursts · Hostility · Pissed off