A 2020 study revealed how women are disproportionately affected by autoimmune diseases. A different study that took place in 2021 also revealed that women also deal with higher levels of anxiety, PTSD, and anorexia. Such studies might make one wonder if unprocessed anger can make one sick.
The answer to this question is not too surprising as psychologist Dana Jack, during the late 1980s, had identified a rather disturbing pattern in her female patients, which involved tendencies of suppressing their own needs, silencing themselves, and making efforts to please others, which ultimately led to an increased risk of depression.
Another recent University of Pittsburgh study found that “suppressed anger in women of colour correlated with a 70 per cent increased risk of atherosclerosis, raising their risk of heart disease.” It should be noted here that some experts do believe that there is a relationship between physical illness and suppressed emotions.
Talking about the same, Dr Jolene Brighten mentioned, “Suppressing emotions, particularly anger, has been linked to increased stress, dysregulated immune function and chronic inflammation, which may contribute to the development or worsening of autoimmune diseases.” She also pointed to research that suggested that prolonged periods of emotional repression can activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which might lead to dysfunction of the immune system.
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Dr Sula Windgassen, a Health Psychologist, CBT Therapist and EMDR Therapist, mentioned that it is important to remember that health is a combination of psychological, environmental, social, and biological factors, adding, “When addressing health or illness, we must consider all three aspects together rather than in isolation.”
While she did accept studies that have been connecting suppressed emotions to immune system dysfunction, she also mentioned, “There haven’t been enough studies specifically on suppressed anger and its effects on immunity. However, psychoneuroimmunology research provides compelling evidence that emotional suppression can impact immune functioning.”
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Besides the available research, there are also instances of real-life women who have felt that their bottled-up anger was affecting their health. For example, Dilly, a 29-year-old woman from London, a patient of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, mentioned that because of her condition, she experiences “muscle pain, hair loss, cold intolerance, and dry skin. My gut slows down, leading to weight gain, but worst of all, it affects my mood and energy.”
She also mentioned that her condition took a worse turn after a stressful professional and personal year. She then said, “That’s when I finally sought medical advice and was diagnosed. My GP suspected my thyroid had been underactive for years without me realizing it.”
She further added, “My GP was nonchalant when they told me, which made me question my own anxiety around taking lifelong medication. I suppressed my feelings, and I believe it negatively impacted my health. Recently, I had to increase my dosage despite stable levels for three months.”
Another instance involves Sarah, a 37-year-old from London who had struggled with anorexia and pernicious anaemia from an early age. Later, at 34 years old, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which was followed by a number of physical and emotional traumas. Talking about her health, Sarah said, “A recurring theme was the overwhelming sense that I wasn’t being heard. The more I fought for support, the less I received, leading me to retreat into silence.”
She further mentioned, “The anger I felt – toward friends, family, perpetrators and society – had nowhere to go. It settled in my body, manifesting as pain in my gut, chest, shoulders and throat. I realized this pain was somatic, a physical manifestation of unprocessed emotions. To release it, I turned to ecstatic dance, massage, diaphragmatic breathing, body scanning and grounding techniques. Sometimes, after an intense session, I cry and physically feel the trapped emotion leaving my body.”
Since she realizes this, she makes sure to practice these techniques to keep herself healthy. While the studies linking repressed emotions and their negative impact on immunity are still going on, it is important to ensure that one’s emotions are channelled in a healthy way to maintain good health.
