On a winter morning in Montgomery, Alabama, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. That act wasn’t born out of calm reflection. It was fueled by anger—anger at injustice, at rules designed to humiliate, at a system that had to be challenged.

We tend to think of anger as destructive, something to suppress or apologize for. But in Impulse and Fire: Reset and Regulate Anger and ADHD, we write that anger is more complicated than that

It can be both weapon and shield.

Anger as a Signal

Psychologists have long argued that anger is information. It tells us when a boundary has been crossed, when something we value is under threat. It is the emotional equivalent of a smoke alarm.

Studies show that anger, when expressed constructively, is linked with stronger negotiation outcomes and more effective leadership (Lerner & Tiedens, 2006). In other words, sometimes anger gets things done.

When Anger Turns Toxic

But there’s a flip side. Anger that is chronic, misdirected, or disproportionate corrodes relationships and health. Research ties persistent anger to cardiovascular disease, depression, and even premature death (Chida & Steptoe, 2009; American Heart Association, 2020).

In our book, we describe it like this: “Anger in the passenger seat can guide. Anger in the driver’s seat can destroy.”

The ADHD Connection

For people with ADHD, anger more often takes the wheel. With weaker executive control, the intensity is higher and the brakes weaker. Small frustrations escalate into full-blown conflicts, leaving behind regret and shame (Nigg, 2020).

That doesn’t mean anger is always the enemy. It means learning when it signals something worth acting on—and when it’s a sign to slow down.

What You Can Do

The answer isn’t to erase anger. The answer is to train it.

Anger can be fuel or fire. Choose how you use it. Get our book Impulse and Fire now, and start the Anger Management Program today to turn anger into strength, not sabotage.

References

  • Richard, Y. (2025). Impulse and Fire: Reset and Regulate Anger and ADHD. Epic Journeys Publishing
  • Lerner, J. S., & Tiedens, L. Z. (2006). Portrait of the angry decision maker: How appraisal tendencies shape anger’s influence on cognition. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 19(2), 115–137.
  • Chida, Y., & Steptoe, A. (2009). The association of anger and hostility with future coronary heart disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 53(11), 936–946.
  • Nigg, J. (2020). Emotion dysregulation in ADHD: A clinical perspective. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 231–239.
  • American Heart Association. (2020). Anger and heart health. Retrieved from heart.org.