Is Anger Depression Turned Inward?

Some counselors say that depression is, quite simply, anger turned inward.
Anger directed toward ourselves can manifest itself in:

• Engaging in dangerous behavior, such as reckless driving or thrill-seeking behavior
• Physically harming ourselves
• Blaming ourselves for problems, even when we are not really the case of the problem
• Refusing to feel any emotions, numbing out
• Abusing drugs, alcohol, food or participating in other forms of addiction
• Never letting go of anger and allowing it to store
And for some extra food for thought, here are some quotes on anger to ponder:
He who angers you conquers you. ~Elizabeth Kenny

Anger is one letter short of danger. ~Author Unknown

Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. ~Malachy McCourt
Take no revenge that you have not pondered beneath a starry sky, or on a canyon overlook, or to the lapping of waves and the mewing of a distant gull. ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

If you’re angry at a loved one, hug that person. And mean it. You may not want to hug – which is all the more reason to do so. It’s hard to stay angry when someone shows they love you, and that’s precisely what happens when we hug each other. ~Walter Anderson, The Confidence Course, 1997