Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : August 9, 2018 11:45 AM IST
Are you someone who suffers from bouts of short temper? Get angry too soon and think you are right at whatever you do? Then we have some bad news for you: anger makes you overestimate your intelligence that can ruin your relationship and equation with others. There is more in store for you: this negative emotion is linked with narcissist qualities. So, if you are someone who gets angry when things are not working out your way and you put your logic and rationale at a pedestal compared to others you might also be a narcissist and not just angry. This is one reason why people who have frequent bouts of anger find it difficult to maintain cordial relationships with peers, colleagues, friends and even family members.
Why anger ruins relationships?
People who struggle with frequent bouts of anger also have a narcissist trait that makes it difficult for them to establish bonds with others as they are always trying to dominate their partners, peers or friends. Lead researcher Marcin Zajenkowski, from the faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw who found the link between anger and narcissism also mentioned that there is a link between anger and cognitive functions. His team noticed that anger differs significantly from other negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety or depression. Anger is a situational outburst that makes one an optimistic risk taker without having a stable thought process in place.
Researchers also found that higher levels of anger would make one overestimate their abilities and competence. After carrying out two studies with a total of 528 participants, researchers found people who had a quick temper overestimated their intelligence. The participants were reported to perceive themselves as more intelligent than others, however, there was no relation between anger and increased cognitive function. It was just a matter of perception.
For angry people, it is necessary that they get heard first, are listened and obliged. This makes it difficult to maintain relationships that are a two-way process. Anger coupled with narcissism makes a relationship a one-way communication where one is heard out loud and clear and the other is robbed of the right to express. People who have to deal with a loved one, friend or peer with anger issues are always walking on eggshells as they are unable to predict what might come next. This creates enough tension and stress in relationships which isolates them from their loved ones, a reason why angry people mostly find themselves alone, lonely and left out in relationships.
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