Sad is delayed but anger is instant.... why?

I used to have an emotional two day delay for things other then anger. Someone would tell me some very upsetting news and it would take me two days to react to it. My girlfriend left me and two days later I was upset over it.

The delay was useful. My kid sis fell off her bike and broke her arm and gashed her chin open when she was 10. I was there. I got her in the car, drove her down and listened to her scream about how much it hurt. The blood, the crying, it didn’t phase me at all as I drove her. Two days later however I was a mess. My poor kid sis, with the blood and the crying and now big cast on her arm and the stitches on her chin. Then I was really upset.

Even now, sad is a two day delay. But anger is almost instant. I have levels to it now. Before it was only rage. Now I’ve got annoyed and irritated and ticked off. It’s nice having something other then rage about everything.

I have always wondered why anger is instant and other things are so delayed.

Personally I think anger is the safest emotion to feel. I don’t really know why. It just seems more acceptable. We are used to seeing people get mad but not show hurt. Other feelings are more personal I guess.

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I very much relate to that. Anger comes so easily but sadness can take weeks, sometimes months to properly manifest. Perhaps a coping mechanism.

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I completely understand that culturally, but personally that seems sad to me. (I’ll feel it in two days) :wink:

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