Keeping anger bottled up is bad idea, or is it?

The next time you feel the need to vent some anger – resist that urge. 

Venting anger and frustration can actually worsen our psychological state. According to Brad Bushman, author of “Social Psychology and Human Nature,” venting to reduce anger is like using gasoline to put out a fire--it only feeds the flame. He says it's drug-like, because there are brain chemicals and other behavioral reinforcements at work. If you get accustomed to blowing off steam, you become dependent on it.

If you feel you’re ready to blow, the best approach is to delay your reaction. Even just a few minutes can start to defuse the anger. If possible, remove yourself from the situation and do something completely different to distract yourself.