Regardless of Opponent, 'Starting with Loud Voices'... Patients Who 'Cannot Control Their Anger' Increasing Every Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] Yoon Mo, a man in his 20s living in Seoul, lost his temper last year due to noise from the apartment above and repeatedly struck the ceiling with a hammer while shouting curses. Afterwards, he would hit with an umbrella handle and yell even at small everyday noises. Eventually, when he heard a child crying, he said, “It wasn’t an extremely loud noise, but I realized in that moment the violence within me that I hadn’t been aware of.” This was not the only incident. While working on a project with his team at work, when a senior colleague three years ahead asked him to “improve this part by tomorrow,” Yoon got agitated, raised his voice, and questioned the reason in detail, which escalated into a quarrel. Yoon visited a psychiatric clinic due to his aggressive behavior and was told by the doctor that he “has difficulty controlling anger” and was advised to “try counseling therapy.”

(Photo by Asia Economy DB)

"Uncontrollable Anger... What Should I Do?"

Since COVID-19, many people have found it difficult to control feelings of anger, making mental health treatment a key challenge in the endemic era. Anger is a natural emotion, but excessive expression of anger toward others causes difficulties in maintaining interpersonal relationships.

According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on the 15th, the number of patients diagnosed with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), officially known as anger control disorder, increased by 13.4% from 1,827 in 2017 to 2,071 in 2021. As of 2021, men accounted for the majority at 87.5% (1,812 patients). Among men, those in their 20s made up the largest group at 40.2% (728 patients), followed by those in their 30s (17.7%, 320 patients), teens (15.1%, 273 patients), and 40s (12.6%, 229 patients). IED is characterized by an inability to control anger in situations where most people would think, “Is it really worth getting this angry?” People often cannot hold back their anger and may grab nearby objects to threaten or throw them.

Professor Lee Tae-yeop of the Department of Psychiatry at Seoul Asan Medical Center said, “When the number of patients with depression and anxiety disorders increases, the number of patients with anger control disorder also rises,” adding, “It is rare to diagnose anger control disorder alone.” In fact, the number of patients with depression and anxiety disorders increased by 14.4% and 14.1%, respectively, over two years?from 796,364 and 718,143 in 2019 to 910,785 and 819,058 in 2021. This indicates that more people have been unable to control their anger since the COVID-19 pandemic triggered mental health warning signs. However, Professor Lee also noted, “On the other hand, the increase in these patients can be interpreted as a growing awareness that mental health is as important as physical health, leading more people to visit hospitals and receive diagnoses.”

"There Is Room for Improvement Through Continuous Reflection"

Professor Hong Jin-pyo of the Department of Psychiatry at Samsung Seoul Hospital said, “Some people who experienced abuse such as domestic violence or verbal abuse during their developmental years express learned anger toward others.” He added, “Even if others did not treat them badly, they may feel deeply disrespected and express extreme emotions. This can be seen as a form of trauma.”

Intermittent Explosive Disorder can be greatly improved by continuously reflecting on the moments when anger arises. Experts advise, “It is important to analyze whether the situation truly warranted anger, find better alternatives, and plan scenarios.” Trying relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or finding new hobbies like exercise can also help. It is necessary to remove oneself from situations where one might become violent. Professor Hong said, “There are many ways to resolve situations peacefully besides anger. It is important to practice appropriate coping methods to manage emotions well within situations.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.