Anger in occupations characterized by repeated threat and stress exposure: The longitudinal view in the military context.

Abstract

In military populations, there is evidence that levels of anger and aggression increase over time. They increase further during the process of leaving the full-time service environment in the period of transition to civilian life.• Expression and escalation of problematic anger and aggression over time may be compounded by aspects of military life, including a culture of authority and requirement to contain and respond to threat with action, and repeated and prolonged exposure to threatening environments.• Problematic anger and aggression are, in part, a symptomatic/ behavioral reflection of underlying priming and sensitization of neural networks associated with threat detection and activation of the sympathetic nervous system response. These processes are shared with the neurobiological underpinnings of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Anger Among UK Ex-Service Military Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Military training pivots upon personnel being alert to danger and fighting the opposition; thus, anger and aggression may be instrumental for attack behaviors and suppressing fear (Novaco et al, 2012). Other literature points to the potential cultural acceptability around anger in the military compared with other emotional expressions (Lawrence-Wood et al, 2021; McAllister et al, 2019), whereas traumatic events in childhood and on deployment have been linked to elevated anger and aggression (Rona et al, 2015).…”