I've been angry all the time. What's wrong with me?

First, let's get one thing out of the way: being angry doesn't mean there's something wrong with you.

Anger is an emotion. It's not your identity.

The real question is: What's underneath it?

A lot of people think anger is the problem, but many times it's actually covering something deeper.

Sometimes underneath anger is:

• hurt

• disappointment

• fear

• loneliness

• stress

• feeling misunderstood

• feeling like you're carrying too much

Think about it like the dashboard light in a car. The light isn't the problem—it's telling you to pay attention to something happening underneath the hood.

The same is true with anger.

Instead of asking, "How do I stop being angry?" try asking:

• What happened before I got angry?

• What am I protecting?

• What am I afraid of?

• Have I been carrying something I haven't talked about?

Those questions usually lead to much better answers.

It's also okay to admit if your anger has started affecting your relationships, your schoolwork, or how you treat people. That doesn't make you a bad person. It just means it's time to get some help figuring out what's underneath it.

From a faith perspective, even people in the Bible experienced anger. The difference wasn't whether they felt it—it was what they chose to do with it.

You don't have to pretend you're fine.

You don't have to figure this out alone either.

If this sounds like you, send us your question. We'd be honored to talk through it with you.