Many strong and out-of-control emotions are recognized as an illness. People who are always very sad have depression (抑郁症); those who worry a lot have anxiety.
But what about anger problems? Anger is largely viewed as a secondary emotion – one caused by other emotions. People are thought to be angry because they are sad, anxious or stressed. In the past, many doctors didn’t accept the idea that anger could be a problem all on its own.
Today, though, a growing number of mental health experts think that anger is a serious problem that needs its own treatment.
How to tell the difference between “normal” anger and “anger problem” is difficult. After all, everyone gets really mad from time to time. Experts point out a few ways.
Disordered anger, as it is sometimes called, tends to be of greater intensity (强度). It takes very little to set off a person with an anger problem, and their responses (反应) are very strong. An example: While most people would get upset if a driver cut them off, someone with disordered anger might try to chase down the car and force it off the road.
And in cases of disordered anger, the person gets angry more frequently and his/her anger lasts longer. For most people, angry feelings disappear quickly. But people with anger problems often stay angry for days, weeks or even years; their feelings of anger don’t disappear over time.
Consequences are also important to consider: Disordered anger often damages people’s lives. “It interferes (干扰) with people’s relationships and their jobs,” says Raymond Chip Tafrate, a US psychologist. “Even their health is affected.”
Anger clearly increases the risk of certain health problems, as many studies have shown. “When a person is angry, their heart beats faster and their blood pressure goes up,” says Howard Kassinove, a professor at Hofstra University in New York. Over time, these changes take their toll on the body, he adds.
Experts suggest that people with an anger problem take anger-management programs. The programs teach people to control their responses to stressful situations through the use of relaxation techniques. The programs sometimes include life-skills training as well: increasing someone’s level of competence (竞争)– whether on the job or as a parent or partner – helps bring down stress and cut angry feelings.
【小题1】A person who _________ most possibly has disordered anger in the experts’ opinion?

Mr. Green worked in an office in London, but he lived in the country and came to work by train every day. The station was not very far from his office, and he always went on foot from the station to his office and back from his office to the station. Every evening he walked past a poor man near a bridge. The man sat at the road and sold matches, and there was a dog near him. There was a piece of wood round the dog’s neck, and the words “I AM BLIND” were on the piece of wood.
Mr.Green was a kind man. He always stopped and gave a penny to the man, but he did not take any of his matches. One day, Mr.Green had a lot of work in his office and left the office very late. He came to the man and his dog, but he did not stop. The poor man stood up quickly, ran after him and said, “You’re always very kind to me. Give me a penny today. I’m a poor man.” Mr.Green stopped and he was surprised. Then he said, “You’re a blind man. How did you see me?” The poor man said, “No, I’m not blind. My dog is.”
【小题1】Mr.Green lived in __________.