Anger


 * IBIS:**

Definition:
A strong emotion of resentment and displeasure; wrath. Accompanied by and often the converse side of emotional or psychic hurt.

Etiology:
Anger may be present: • as a fleeting rejection of a single event, an attempted redress of injustice; Chinese wisdom asserts that "anger is the righteousness of the soul" • as a substitute for another posture of rejection, such as grief, fear or pain • as a chronic posture of defense toward the world (source of events) in general; one of several classic results of growing up in any dysfunctional family situation

Somatic Therapies:
• qigong • tai qi chuan

Nutrition:
therapeutic foods: • increase foods that soothe the Liver; clear Heat, calm the Shen (Spirit), harmonize Spleen/Stomach, invigorate the Qi; tonify the Kidney if Xu (Deficient) • foods rich in organic sources of Sodium • lemon juice mixed with water, especially upon rising in the morning 30 minutes before anything else is eaten • mustard greens, black radish, apples and saffron, watercress, beets, parsley, artichokes, cherries, grapefruit, parsnips, endive, garlic, onion, chicory, carob, horseradish, kumquats, limes, quinces, dandelion greens, burdock root

fresh juices: • radish and pineapple (Jensen, p. 52) • black cherry concentrate mixed with liquid chlorophyll (Jensen, p. 52) • carrot, beet, and cucumber (Jensen, p. 52) • cucumber, radish, and green pepper (Jensen, p. 52)

avoid: • meat, alcohol, hot sauces, spicy foods, fried foods, fatty foods, rich foods, salty foods, sugar and sweet foods, coffee, caffeine

Botanicals
• Avena sativa: sedative • Chamomilla spp.: sedative • Cnicus benedictus: liver symptoms, associated with • Humulus lupulus: sedative • Hyoscyamus niger (toxic): destructiveness (Harper-Shove, p. 26) • Leonurus cardiaca: sedative, heart symptoms • Mitchella repens: female • Scutellaria lateriflora: sedative, cooling • Strychnos nux vomica (toxic): excitability of the senses exhibited by anger, vehemence, irascibility (Ellingwood, p. 162)

consider: treating liver (associated with anger in Chinese medicine)

liver botanicals include: • Taraxacum officinale • Chelidonium majus (toxic) • Chelone glabra • Chionanthus virginicus: liver congestion (British Herbal Pharmacopoeia) • Cnicus benedictus • Hydrastis canadensis: liver congestion (British Herbal Pharmacopoeia) • Peumus boldo: liver congestion (British Herbal Pharmacopoeia)

Chinese Formulae
• Du Zhong Pian (patent): Liver Wind Stirring (Zhu, p. 177) • Bupleurum and Tang Kuei F. (Xiao Yao Wan) (available as patent): Liver Qi Stagnation with Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency): headache, bitter taste in mouth, dry mouth, fatigue, irregular menstruation or distended breasts (Bupleurum: Hsu, 1980, p. 343; Bensky and Barolet, p. 147; Xiao Yao Wan: Fratkin, p. 157, Zhu, p. 227) • Bupleurum and Peony F. (Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San or Jia Wei Xiao Yao San): Liver Qi Stagnation with Yin Xu (Deficiency): menopausal or premenstrual anger (Hsu, 1980, p. 87; Yeung, p. 72; Dharmananda, 1986, p. 177; Bensky and Barolet, p. 148) • Bupleurum 12 (patent): Liver Qi Stagnation with Spleen Distressed by Dampness (Dharmananda, 1990, p. 39) • Bupleurum and Dragon Bone C. (Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang); Ardisia 16 (patent): Liver Qi Stagnation with Shen Disturbance (Bupleurum: Hsu, 1980, p. 340, Dharmananda, p. 154; Bensky and Barolet, p. 387; Ardisia: Dharmananda, 1990, p. 36) • An Mien Pian (patent): Heart Yin Xu (Deficiency) with Empty Fire Blazing (Zhu, p. 327; Fratkin, p. 225)

Acupuncture
after assessing the person and palpating, consider these patterns: Liver Qi Stagnation; Liver Fire Blazing; Liver Yang Rising; disharmony between Liver and Spleen; Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency); dysfunction of the Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel); Shi (Excess) of the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel) and/or Xu (Deficiency) of the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel) and/or Xu (Deficiency) of the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel); dysfunction of the Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel)

» illustrative combinations: • Lv-3 and LI-4: open the Four Gates; regulate Qi and Xue (Blood) circulation; remove Obstruction of the channels; release bodily tension; relax clenching of jaws; free constraint; calm the mind; relieve mental cloudiness; provide sedative and analgesic effect to calm the nervous system; pacify Liver Yang (Finkelstein, p. 7; Flaws, 1989, p. 76) • consider treatment for "Internal Dragons" or "External Dragons"; External Dragons: GV-20, UB-11, UB-23, UB-61; Internal Dragons: Master point 1/4" below CV-15, St-25, St-32, St-41; In both treatments, sedate first. If the person and the pulses change, fine. If no change with sedation, then tonify. (Worsley) • UB-18, Kd-26, Kd-27, GB-39 and Lv-2 for bad temper (McWilliams, et al, Lesson 31, p. 83) • UB-13, Kd-17, TW-7, LI-16, Sp-2 and Sp-3 for impatience (McWilliams, et al, Lesson 31, p. 83) • TW-5 and GB-41 regulate the Yang Wei Mai (Yang Linking Vessel) • UB-62 and SI-3: open the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel) which transports Yang and for which anger is a Shi (Excess) symptom • Kd-6 and Lu-7: open the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel) which transports Yin and for which anger is a Xu (Deficiency) symptom • PC-6 and Sp-4: open the Yin Wei Mai (Yin Linking Vessel) for which being easily angered is a symptom of dysfunction • Kd-4 (listed as "Kd-5") and Lu-9 for screaming fits of children (Mann, p. 154) • Lu-5 and SI-1 for irritability (Shanghai, p. 242)

» note: • search various syndromes, esp. those of Liver, in materia medica

Homeopathy
• Anacardium: irritable, easily offended; uses violent language (swears); vindictive; mistrustful; contradictory; violent • Aurum metallicum: sour in rage; disgust of life, talks of committing suicide (but fear of death); true violent explosions of anger, regretted afterwards; oversensitiveness • Folliculinum: history of birth control pills and/or estrogen replacement therapy, esp. bad reaction, i.e., estrogen poisoning; tendency to put others' needs before her own, and then become resentful later; woman has lost touch with her own inner rhythms and her reference has become external rather than internal; often best used in a single dose, or repeated every two weeks, possibly at new and full moons • Ignatia: the least contradiction irritates and leads to anger; redness of the face; sighing and sobbing • Lachesis: irritable; oversensitive; jealous; suspicious, great disposition to criticize and contradict; great loquacity • Lycopodium: extremely irritable, susceptible and sensitive; often angry; violent speech • Natrum muriaticum: gets into passion about trifles, when looked at or spoken to; makes him ill; breaks down easily into tears • Nux vomica: very irritable, bad mood, cannot bear noises, odors, light etc.; shameless words; quarrelsome, gets violent easily • Stramonium: devout; earnest; beseeching and ceaseless talking; indomitable fury, desire to bite, hit and kill • Sulphur: always in a bad mood, extremely irritable, sensitive, quarrelsome, violent; unsociable; gets angry easily

Subtle Support
• Mi (Gardner, p. 72, 78) • Fa# (Gardner, p. 82, 87)

mental/emotional: • rhythmic folk songs • County Derry • songs of Steven Foster • Spanish tangos • Brahms' Hungarian dances • Sousa's marches • Strauss' waltzes • Gilbert and Sullivan • Indian Love Call • My Wild Irish Rose • Wishing • Estrellita (Heline, p.18)

Mind/Body
• Anger will often produce a distinct body shape; a tight, muscular body with little fluidity, often the shape of a professional sports person. (Harrison, p. 79) • Much anger, apparently expressed in response to an immediate stimulus, is in fact old anger left over from previous incidents. (Harrison, p. 221) • Fear may be underlying anger. (Harrison, p. 222) • Chronic anger manifests itself in the jawline; when one yells through clenched teeth, the anger bounces off the teeth and goes down the throat where it creates internal problems. To release the anger in the jaw it is necessary to open the mouth wide and stretch the jaw. (Harrison, p. 76) • Stored up anger may be shown in flushed face and red margins around the eyes. (Harrison, p. 75) • Aggression which finds no outlet transforms itself into bodily pain; that which is suppressed at the psychological level leads to depression. (Dethlefsen, p. 231) • An important characteristic of altered states is that many of them cannot be dealt with sufficiently without entering into them. At one end is consciousness and awareness, while at the other there is literally no control. Everyone's psychotic corner can be accessed by touching upon a central, mythical, painful issue. (Mindell, 1988, p. 164)

• Liver ~ Gan is the home of the Hun (Ethereal Soul); it relates to decisiveness, control, and the principle of emergence; maintains smooth flow of Qi and Xue (Blood); controls the muscles, especially their contractility; reflects emotional harmony and movement; opens into the eyes; and expresses itself in the nervous system. » Healthy expressions are kindness, spontaneity, and ease of movement. » Liver Xu (Deficiency) signs include impotence; frigidity; pain in thighs, pelvic region, and throat; ready tendency to "the blahs" (Seem, p. 28); timidity; depression; irritability; vertigo; pruritus; dry skin and/or tendons; asthma; aching at the waist; hernia; and difficulty raising head up and down. Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to the Shi (Excess) conditions of Liver Wind, Liver Yang Rising, and Liver Fire Blazing. » Liver Qi Stagnation reflects and accentuates emotional constraint as the Liver's function of facilitating smooth flow in the body is constricted. Stagnation is associated with frustration, irritability, tension, and feeling stuck. With time this pattern tends to produce a gloomy emotional state of constant resentment, repressed anger or depression, along with tightness in the chest, frequent sighing, abdominal tension or distension, and/or a feeling of a lump in the throat with difficulty in swallowing. (Maciocia, p. 216) » Liver Shi (Excess) signs include discontent; anger; pain in lumbar region and genitals (Seem, p. 28); muscular tension; excessive sex drive; insomnia; moodiness; excitability; genital diseases; red, tearing eyes; compulsive energy; and bitter taste in the mouth. Chronically suppressed anger can implode and give rise to Fire in the Liver and Gall Bladder with symptoms of irritability, bitter taste, headaches, etc. » Mental signs of Liver channel disorders include irritability; difficulty developing ideas; depression; and lack of energy. (Seem, p. 28)
 * Chinese psychophysiology:**

• Gall Bladder ~ Dan is the source of courage and initiative, and is responsible for decision-making as the bodily Minister of Justice. Its channel purifies Yang energy in the body. » Healthy expressions are kindness, decisiveness, control, and spirit of initiative. » Gall Bladder Shi (Excess) signs include tiredness; sighing; irritability; bitter taste in the mouth in the morning; pain in all joints; edematous knees and legs (Seem, p. 29); tinnitus; lateral headache; heaviness in head and stomach; muscular spasms; and limbs slightly cold. Chronically suppressed anger can implode and give rise to Fire in the Liver and Gall Bladder. » Anger, frustration, and resentment can cause Liver Qi Stagnation which, in turn, can produce Heat which affects the Gall Bladder. » Mental signs of Gall Bladder channel disorders include bitterness; lack of control; irritability; unfaithfulness; lack of courage; timidity; and hypochondria. (Seem, p. 28)

• Mental signs of Triple Warmer channel disorders include emotional upsets caused by breaking of friendships or family relations; depression; suspicion; anxiety; poor elimination of harmful thoughts. (Seem, p. 28)