In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), anger is strongly linked to the Liver, which governs its expression and can become unbalanced with excessive wrath or repressed emotions, leading to further imbalance; physiologically, anger activates the body's stress response involving the adrenal glands and affects the heart, while the brain's amygdala processes the emotion, all contributing to physical symptoms like increased heart rate and blood pressure.
In East Asian Medicine, anger is the emotion of the Liver, the organ system associated with the wood element. Emotions like rage, fury or aggravation can indicate that the liver energy is out of balance.
Lower Back: Anger
If you sit in frustration, the lower back is a common place for storing repressed anger.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, emotions are narrowed down to five basic feelings that are each associated with a corresponding element and organ in the body: Anger with the liver. Fear with the kidney. Joy with the heart.
The amygdala is a paired structure (the two are considered one brain area) inside your temporal lobe. It's a key part of emotional control and processes.
Anger is often a reaction to and distraction from inner suffering—feelings such as sadness, powerlessness, shame, anxiety, inadequacy, and isolation. Anger can be both an outgrowth of, and meaningful distraction, from the intense pain of underlying depression.
The classics usually associate anger with the Liver, which is why the Liver is the General, but in fact [the emotions of] the Liver include melancholy, hatred, neuroticism, and all the Seven Emotions 七情.
Minding our thoughts and our diets represents the key to a healthy liver. Here are some suggestions for releasing anger and resentment: Physical exercise, such as cardio, running or kickboxing. Shouting in a safe environment, such as a forest or closed room or closed car.
The first signs of a bad liver often include persistent fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and a dull ache or tenderness in the upper right abdomen. Other subtle indicators can be general malaise, feeling unwell, or mild digestive issues like bloating or fatty stools, which might be overlooked but signal the liver isn't processing nutrients properly.
Your situation in life can affect how well you're able to control anger. For example, it gets more difficult to control your anger if you're stressed or you're dealing with other challenges. Your family history can also have a strong effect on how you manage anger and other negative emotions.
10 Healthy Ways to Release Rage
The liver also has a lot to do with stress and anger. Physically, an imbalanced liver can create tight tendons, necks and shoulders, and emotionally it can lead to a tightness of the spirit.
The words used to describe anger tend to be volcanic. And science may explain why. When an angry feeling coincides with aggressive or hostile behavior, it also activates the amygdala, an almond–shaped part of the brain associated with emotions, particularly fear, anxiety, and anger.
It might be because of a difficult situation we're experiencing. Or something that happened to us in the past. Sometimes, we might feel anger because of how we interpret and react to certain situations. People can interpret situations differently.
The hypothalamus gland directs other organs and endocrine glands to either inhibit or stimulate the production of hormones. Hypothalamus functions as a regulator of emotion to regulate levels of pleasure, sexual desire, anger, and aggression.
Interestingly, in Eastern medicine the emotions attributed to the pancreas are self-esteem and self-control. When it comes to type 2 diabetes, arguably the two emotions which the individual will be struggling with are both a lack of self-control, resulting in the over-consumption of sugar.
Vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which means it's a nutrient that may help protect cells against damage. Research suggests that in people who have MASLD, vitamin E may boost the liver's natural antioxidants, help reduce liver inflammation and scarring, and help prevent fat buildup.
Orange urine can be a sign of a problem with the liver or bile duct, mainly if you also have light-colored stools. Dehydration also can make your urine look orange.
Symptoms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
ANGER/FRUSTRATION + DEPRESSION (MANIC) Anger is the emotion of the liver and the gallbladder, organs associated with the wood element. Emotions like rage, fury or aggravation can indicate that this energy is in excess, and when we experience these emotions consistently, our liver can get damaged.
The fastest way to repair your liver involves immediate lifestyle changes: stop alcohol/smoking, adopt a healthy diet (whole foods, less sugar/fat/processed items), manage weight/exercise, and avoid liver-harming medications, all while consulting a doctor for personalized guidance, as severe damage needs medical intervention for reversal.
Four key warning signs of a damaged liver include jaundice (yellow skin/eyes), abdominal issues (swelling, pain), fatigue/weakness, and changes in urine/stool color, alongside symptoms like itchy skin, easy bruising, confusion, or nausea, indicating the liver isn't filtering toxins or clotting blood properly.
Know the 5 signs of Emotional Suffering
Grief isn't just something we feel in our minds; it lives in our bodies too. When you go through a loss, your body holds onto that experience, sometimes in ways you may not even notice at first. Trauma can get stored deep in your muscles, in your breath, and even in the way your heart beats.
Stress hormones like cortisol play a significant role in this process. Several conditions can contribute to emotional dysregulation: Anxiety disorders: make people more reactive to stress, often triggering sudden emotional outbursts. PTSD: causes intense reactions when memories of past trauma surface unexpectedly.