Don't Be Angry!

It may seem obvious but doing your best NOT to get angry at trying times can be a real challenge. Best example? Drive around Metro Manila and test your anger limits. With an abundance of reckless drivers who think traffic lights and signs are street decorations, it is almost impossible to survive a journey without taxing your patience not to get furious. Also, Filipino drivers are all hotheads!

Confucius once said: "When anger rises, think of the consequences."

The big problem is, when you're already fuming, your thinking abilities weaken. Perhaps it is always best to exercise control and develop long tolerance levels before getting angry. The study below will tell you why you should always strive to lengthen your fuse.

NEW YORK --- Anger appears to raise the risk of suffering an injury, particularly for men, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among more than 2,000 patients treated in an emergency room for broken bones, cuts and other traumas, bouts of anger appeared to boost the risk of injury by up to 8 times.

The study, published in the Annals of Family Medicine, included men and women seen at 3 hospitals for injuries from falls, car accidents and other incidents.

For men, being "extremely" angry raised the risk of injury more than 7-fold, but even moderate levels of anger and hostility were linked to greater injury risk. Among women, only extreme anger and hostility raised the risk of injury, and to a lesser degree than that found for men.

[Reuters, 01 Feb 2006]