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Have you ever noticed stiffness in your joints, chronic aches, or tension that doesn’t seem to have a clear cause? For many, these physical pains reflect emotions we’ve held inside—especially anger that has never been fully expressed. Arthritis is not just a condition of the joints; it can also be a profound signal from the body, a messenger of tension, unresolved emotions, and long-held stress.
Understanding Suppressed Anger
When we think of anger, we often picture something visible—shouting, slamming doors, or aggressive behavior. But suppressed anger is something very different. It is not the anger we feel and then push down to avoid exploding. Suppressed anger is the anger that never even reaches our awareness.
It is the energy of frustration, resentment, or hurt that we have learned, often since childhood, to keep so far out of sight that we no longer even recognize it within ourselves. Instead of allowing anger to rise, we disconnect from it. We become the “kind” one, the peacemaker, the person who smooths over conflicts and avoids confrontation. On the surface, we appear calm and accommodating, but deep inside, the body remembers.
When anger is chronically suppressed, it doesn’t just vanish—it is stored in the body. Gabor Maté writes:
“The body holds the score of unprocessed trauma and unexpressed emotions, and these patterns can manifest as physical illness.”
Candace Pert, neuroscientist and pharmacologist, further reminds us that emotions are deeply embodied:
“Molecules of emotion exist in the body; our feelings are not only in the mind but flow through every cell.”
Clinically, research suggests that chronic emotional suppression can influence inflammation levels in the body. Chronic stress and unresolved anger can trigger a cascade of physiological reactions—heightened cortisol, tension in muscles, and constriction in fascia—that can worsen joint pain and stiffness. In conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, this chronic internal tension may exacerbate inflammation, increase pain perception, and even contribute to flare-ups.
How the Body Holds Anger
The fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds muscles and joints, acts as a repository for tension and unexpressed emotions. Over time, anger held in the body creates rigidity, limits mobility, and can literally “lock” the joints in patterns of chronic stiffness. Peter Levine, Janina Fisher, Bessel van der Kolk, Deb Dana, and Pat Odgen, among others, all emphasize that trauma and unprocessed emotions are not just psychological—they are deeply embodied. Arthritis, in this sense, can be viewed not only as a disease of the joints but as a physical manifestation of what the mind has suppressed.
Many patients notice that their arthritis flares during times of emotional stress or unresolved conflict. Even small, persistent frustrations, if not acknowledged, can accumulate in the body, reinforcing chronic inflammation and tension. The joints, in their wisdom, reflect the emotional weight carried silently for years.
The CranioSacral Pathway to Healing
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) offers a gentle, non-invasive approach to reconnect with emotions and release tension stored in the body.
Through CST, suppressed emotions—including anger—can surface safely. The gentle work on the craniosacral rhythm supports the fascia, muscles, and nervous system, allowing the body to let go of tension. Patients often report relief in stiffness and pain, as well as a renewed sense of mobility, energy, and emotional clarity. By creating a safe space for emotions to emerge, CST addresses not only physical symptoms but also the emotional patterns that may contribute to arthritis flare-ups.
Integrating Anger Safely
Healing does not mean erasing anger—it means becoming aware of it, acknowledging it, feeling it, and integrating its energy. Often, the first step is simply noticing: Can I sense the subtle signs of anger in my body?—a tightening in the jaw, heat in the chest, restlessness in the hands.
Anger can then be expressed safely through breath, movement, journaling, voice work, or gentle somatic exercises; it does not require shouting, aggression, or harm. Awareness is what transforms suppressed anger into something we can meet with compassion. When we allow these hidden emotions to surface and flow, we release tension from the body, reduce inflammatory stress, and reconnect with our natural balance.
Deb Dana and Bessel van der Kolk remind us that giving voice to emotions is not only safe but necessary for long-term well-being. In this way, emotional expression becomes a form of self-care, a gentle yet profound intervention that supports both body and mind.
A Message From Your Body
Arthritis is not only a physical condition—it can be a messenger of what the body has carried silently for years. Suppressed anger is a signal that your body protected you when it needed to. By creating space for the body to speak through therapies like CranioSacral Therapy, we open a path to acknowledgment, release, integration, and renewed balance, reconnecting emotions, fascia, and joints. In honouring suppressed anger, we allow the body to move more freely, the mind to breathe more fully, and the heart to reconnect with its natural rhythm.
Suppressed anger is not a failure—it is a sign of survival. When we create space for the body to speak, we honor our story, our emotions, and ourselves. Healing is not about erasing anger, but about feeling, integrating, and reconnecting with the fullness of life.