Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), and Anger Among Young People

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Both Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) can significantly impact emotional regulation, particularly in young people aged 16 to 35. When anxiety is left unresolved, it often surfaces as anger, frustration, or irritability.

Here’s how these disorders are linked to anger:

1. Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Anger

GAD is characterised by excessive, uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life, such as health, work, or relationships. This chronic anxiety can lead to emotional exhaustion and, in many cases, result in:

• Irritability: Persistent worrying creates emotional fatigue, which can cause people to have shorter tempers or respond to stress with anger.
• Frustration: The inability to control anxious thoughts can lead to feelings of frustration, often turning into anger directed at oneself or others.
• Emotional Dysregulation: Young people with GAD frequently struggle to regulate their emotions. Anxiety build-up may lead to emotional outbursts, which can appear as anger or irritability.

2. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and Anger

SAD involves intense fear or anxiety in social situations, often driven by a fear of being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated. This disorder can also lead to anger in young people through:

• Self-Criticism: Individuals with social anxiety may feel angry at themselves for perceived social failures or mistakes, creating internal tension that manifests as frustration or anger.
• Avoidance and Isolation: Avoiding social interactions can lead to feelings of loneliness, further intensifying frustration and irritability.
• Defensiveness: In social settings, young people with SAD may misinterpret others’ actions or comments as negative, triggering defensive anger responses, even when no harm was intended.

3. The Relationship Between Anxiety and Anger in Young People

For young people, particularly those facing intense social, academic, or work pressures, anxiety disorders like GAD and SAD can create a destructive cycle:

• Difficulty Expressing Emotions: Anxiety often hampers the ability to express emotions healthily. Anger may emerge as a secondary emotion when the primary feelings of fear, worry, or inadequacy remain unaddressed.
• Internalised Anger: Both GAD and SAD can cause individuals to turn anger inward, leading to self-criticism, low self-esteem, or even self-harm.
• Externalised Anger: On the other hand, anxiety-related frustration can be externalised, leading to outbursts of anger directed at others. For example, a young person with social anxiety might lash out if they feel embarrassed or judged in a social situation, even if the judgement is imagined.

4. Research on Anxiety and Anger in Young People

Research supports the notion that anxiety disorders and anger are closely linked. Studies have found:

• Emotional Dysregulation is common in both GAD and SAD. A 2020 study in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders found that individuals with GAD often struggle to manage emotions like anger and are more prone to irritability.
• A 2019 study in Behaviour Therapy reported that individuals with social anxiety tend to experience increased anger, often directed inward, leading to self-criticism and heightened distress.

5. Why Young People Struggle More with the Anxiety-Anger Link

Young people aged 16-35 face unique challenges that can amplify the connection between anxiety and anger:

• Increased Social Pressure: Navigating friendships, romantic relationships, social media, and career ambitions can heighten anxiety and feelings of inadequacy, often triggering anger when things don’t go as planned.
• Emotional Development: This age group is still developing emotional regulation skills, which may make managing anxiety and anger more difficult.
• Increased Exposure to Triggers: Young people are often exposed to more triggers through social media, academic or work pressures, and social comparison, making them more susceptible to anxiety-related anger. The sheer volume of it is overwhelming.

Understanding these links between anxiety and anger can be the first step in addressing both, allowing for healthier emotional responses and better mental health management.

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