Hurting Themselves More Than Others

(Image from the Guardian)

Confirming last century's news, angry people are at higher risk for health problems:

New evidence suggests people increase their risk for a heart attack more than eightfold shortly after an intensely angry episode. Anger can also help bring on strokes and irregular heartbeat, other research shows. And it may lead to sleep problems, excess eating and insulin resistance, which can help cause diabetes.

In the 1950's doctors noted that "Type A" personalities had more cardiac incidents. Characteristics of Type A are time urgency and impatience, and free-floating hostility or aggressiveness. Those of us who are on the receiving end of a Type A outburst can feel a flash of satisfaction at the problems Type A's cause themselves....until we realize that they're probably victims of their own biology.

Related--the ancients listed seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, anger, envy, and pride. Known to be deleterious to physical health are gluttony and sloth, and now a third, anger, can be added to the list. Even if you don't believe in the importance of saving your soul, dear reader, overcome your sinful nature for your own health's sake.