In the heat of anger, we often don’t use our best judgment.
We may say and do things we later regret, or lose track of what we’re arguing about.
Why is that?
Well, it has to do with cortisol. You see, anger can spark an overload of cortisol in the brain.
So where does the cortisol come from in the first place? That’s something we got into here.
And to help you visualize what’s happening when there’s too much cortisol in the brain, we put this together for you (and please feel free to make a copy to share).
Click the image to enlarge
How Stress Hormones Can Impact Your Brain
Where do these stress hormones come from?
To find out, check out Part 1 of this infographic series.
- Elevated cortisol can cause your neurons to take in too much calcium through their membranes
– The problem with this is it can make cells fire too frequently and die. - Too much cortisol n cause a loss of neurons in your prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus.
- Suppressed activity in your prefrontal cortex (PFC) can prevent you from using your best judgement
– This is why you might not make good decisions or plan well for the future when you’re upset - Too much cortisol in your hippocampus can kill neurons and keep your brain from making new ones. This can weaken your short-term memory and prevent you from forming new memories properly.
– This is why you might not remember what you want to say in an argument - Too much cortisol can decrease serotonin – that’s the hormone that makes you happy.
– A decrease in serotonin can make you feel anger and physical pain more easily.
– This also might be why you act in more aggressive ways or feel depressed.
As you can see, these hormones can have a big impact on your brain. But that’s not all they might do.
If you’d like to print a copy to share, just click here: Color or Print-friendly
(When you make copies to share, please be sure to include the copyright information. We put a lot of work into creating these resources for you. Thanks!)
If you’d like to learn more about how to help clients manage anger, take a look at this short course featuring Stephen Porges, PhD; Marsha Linehan, PhD; Peter Levine, PhD; Ron Siegel, PsyD; Pat Ogden, PhD; and other top experts.
Next: How Anger Affects Your Brain and Body, Part 3 – How Stress Hormones Change Your Body
I am a male CSA survivor. I am of the belief that a lot of behavioral patterns developed by way of creating safety, anger being one, can be used positively and cannot be extinguished completely and should be nurtured and used to advantage. Being angry for me was a reaction I had developed, not consciously in the past, due to the abuse. And later, anger at the realization of what the abuse had done to me. But getting ‘over and beyond the anger’ is not done by by purely rational processing ‘I am angry because…’ and recognising that I was addicted to becoming angry because it is empowering, or even just expulsing the anger in a safe way (throttling a cushion). I now embrace the anger. It is normal. I am entitled to it. I am now aware of it. It is a tool. I can use it rather than it using me. I now use it more consciously to defy in a positive way. That is to defy the aging process, for one and to combat CSA i.e. spread the word regarding it’s chronically debilitating effects and to help others speak out….in summary, one can weaken anger’s (and others) negative effects but it won’t go away. It will be like trying to hold a balloon under water. Embracing it is the way. All this sitting about in a perfect calm state of Zen forever more is a load of unachievable nonsense!
Your story reminded me of my trauma that I got bullied by my teacher. It’s not sexual abused, just abused. She seemed nice at the surface but so passive aggressive in her style. She gaslighted me everyday. She wronged everything I do and say. She made fun of me with her assistant and other students. I asked her what wrong I had ever done to her. She said nothing, but she never stop bullying me. I think she is a narcissistic psychopath. I have to quit and study elsewhere better. Unqualified teachers do exist. It’s not worth having this Cortisol running in my system. I believe that what goes round comes round. By the way, meditation helps. A person who does not look down other religions is a person who has wisdom.
Why was a coach from Britain who claimed to embrace her anger attacked people with different religious beliefs? Isn’t it stemmed from anger?
I knew cortisol kills off brain cells but didn’t know why.
This is part of the information we promote to health and children’s centre staff as part of breastfeedng and relationship building training, supporting parent/ baby attachment from conception through to 5 years
In effect- the key to mental stability is being calm in all situations. Of course! Thank you for this wise and vital information.
thank you exeland method to learn
than you again
Very timely. Will be reading both parts. Been struggling with some anger of late and even prayer cannot seem to resolve it. Perhaps this article is the answer to my prayers?..Thank you.
I’m feeling quite angry about the Renaissance and witch hunts this week and I think this is making me more intelligent as I think about the repercussions and different ways of viewing history and society. If I was not angry I would not bother to ponder the subject
This helps me and my 76 husband . He has suffered with excess Cortisol from childhood. Hyperadonism. From birth. Mother age 40. Lifelong health issues. Stroke at 30, uncontrolled high blood pressure. Triple bypass age 65. Now short term memory. It will help me and Gp to support him as well as family who could never understand incidents A BIG thank you .
This is brilliant, it makes it easy to understand. I will share with link workers (Health and We’ll Being/Social Prescriber) staff who support clients with a range of issues, many who are angry. They will share with people they support helping them to work on reducing anger.
Is this why the seven deadly sins are so called: anger, envy, lust, luxury, greed, sloth, jealousy?
For jealousy, read envy. They’re not the same.
I watch my beloved pet when he has this devastating chemical shoot into his body.his doc says its just like what you found.you can see his body,revving up rapid breathing.the he walks in circles and co ally collapses on the floor with a loud thud.
Interesting, thank you.
Simple easily understood explanation. Very informative in a quick and entertaining format. ???
I know someone who is very angry and then vindictive as a result. Is toxic. Good to be aware of this.
I have the opposite problem – adrenal insufficiency where my body can’t produce enough cortisol. What happens then? Does it interfere with your ability to be angry? Are neurons preserved more? Does serotonin production increase? I’d love to find out.
I want to know more on this subject as I have struggled with stress for most of my life
Where can I find Part 1 please
Exactly. Where is part one ?
Very informative article on how we tick and why. Look forward to reading the next one in the series.
This is very interesting, but I don’t understand why the creator seems to be conflating the terms ‘anger’ & ‘stress’ – of course anger is a form of stress, but the terms are not synonymous.
Was just standing in my kitchen talking to my son about cortisol and it’s effects. Pulled up my Instagram page and this is the first advert to come up. I’m not normally paranoid about my phone listening to what I’m saying but maybe I should be!
Turn off microphone permission for all social media and anything goggle-related. It helps.