100thousand Black pros

 Many times situations occur that we can do nothing about, yet inability to change the inevitable does not buffer the sting. We are then left with the decision to wallow in pain or to appreciate what is good despite unwelcoming circumstances. Ancient Greeks believed that negative emotions led to physical illness.⁵ Not surprising, modern research has found that failure to govern hostility and depression can kill you.^1,2,3,4,5  In a world of poverty, sickness and injustice it is highly probable that we all will experience negative emotions; however, frequently repeated episodes of anger, depression and anxiety can lead to Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)⁶, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)^{1 ,} Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)⁴ and cancer.³  CVD affects one in every five Americans and is the leading cause of death. CVD claims more lives than the top five causes of death combined. Anxiety disorders affect 20 million annually. Depression affects 17million.⁴

The Surgeon General defines mental health as: “a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity. Mental health is required for an individual to maintain social relationships with others and contribute to society. ²” Recently noted anxiety, depression, anger and hostility have become the new threats to mental health. The symptoms of depression involve loss of interest in pleasurable activities, notable weight gain/loss, insomnia, agitation, fatigue, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, diminished ability to concentrate and recurrent thoughts of death. Chronic patterns of five out of the nine constitute major depression. Major depression impairs daily function and results in a sadden mood for two weeks or more. Anxiety results from feelings of being unable to predict, control or obtain desired outcomes. Feelings of anger emerge from feelings of being treated unfairly. Hostility results from a deeply rooted mistrust of people.⁵

 Incapacity to govern unconstructive emotions can lead to immense health risks. The American Heart Association found that proper application of anger management techniques reduced risk factors related to CHD.⁶ A 2001 study found that an improvement in mood decreased stress and enhanced quality of life. Fifty percent of CHD patients assigned to stress management and medical care witnessed a decline in cardiac reoccurrences.³   The American Heart Association noted that anger is a stable personality trait identifiable by frequency, duration and intensity, thus individuals with higher durations and intensity levels have difficulty managing threatening emotions.⁶

 Patients with a history of heart related illnesses are more likely to struggle with anger, depression and anxiety.⁴ Negative emotions can potentially inhibit recovery efforts.³ Impoverished individuals with no heart related complications are likely to battle repeated episodes of anger, depression and anxiety, predisposing heart disease. Such populations have less than a high school education and support families on an income of $20,000 or less.² Insufficient income, food and housing promote psychological stress thus, poverty is a significant risk factor for heart failure.³

Individuals with high levels of anger, hostility¹ and depression³ are at increased risk for heart disease. Surges of uncontrolled emotions lead to overactive heart rates and impulsive behaviors such as smoking, drug and alcohol abuse and overeating. Engagement of unhealthy habits reduces sought medical attention, specifically among African-Americans. Unrecognized and untreated physical and emotional factors increase the probability of death in healthy and ill populations alike. ³

If it ain’t one thang it’s another. So what can we do about depression, anxiety, anger and hostility? We can develop an appreciative inquiry for life. An appreciative inquiry is a tool researchers use to evaluate the goodness of a situation rather than highlighting what is wrong. Count your blessings and focus on what really matters: your happiness. This research provides that a smile can be the difference between overcoming an illness and avoiding one in the first place. Feelings of helplessness and hopeless subtract days from your life. For every negative count three positives and you have completed your appreciative inquiry.

1. Allen, J., Markovitz, J. Jacobs, D. Knox, S. (2001). Social support and health behavior in hostile Black and White men and women in CARDIA. Psychosomatic Medicine, 63, 609-618.

2. Heflin, C. & Iceland, J. (2009). Poverty, material hardship and depression. Social Science Quarterly, 90, 5.

3. Schattner, A. (2003). The emotional dimensions and the biological paradigm of illness time for change. QJ Med, 90, 617-621.

4. Shapiro, P., Schulman, J. & Muskin, P. (2005). Psychiatry and cardiovascular disease. FOCUS The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry, 3(2) 208.

5. Suls, J. & James, B. (2005). Anger anxiety and depression as risk factors for cardiovascular disease: The problems and implications of overlapping affective dispositions. Psychological Bulletin, 131 (2) 260-300.

6. Williams, J.E., Paton, C.C., Siegler, I.C., Eignenbrodt, M.L., Nieto, F.J. & Tyraler, H.A. (2000). Anger proneness predicts coronary heart disease risk: Prospective analysis from the atherosclerosis risk in communities (ARIC) study. Journal of the American Heart Association, 101, 2034-2039.