"On the Brink of Explosion"... The 'Anger' Created by COVID-19

Increasing Number of People Expressing Anger Beyond Corona Blue
Expected Rise in Patients Receiving Treatment for Anger Control Disorder
Experts Say "Anger Management Is Important"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] "Beyond lethargy, now I feel irritation and anger."

Office worker Lee (28) says she has recently been struggling with controlling her anger. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, she used to relieve stress by having a drink with colleagues after work, but even that has become difficult. She said, "As the frustrating daily life continues, I find myself getting angry without realizing it," adding, "I feel like I could explode if someone just slightly provokes me."

The term 'Corona Blue,' referring to feelings of depression or lethargy due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, became popular. However, recently, people expressing anger after voicing their depression have been found throughout society. The depression felt due to various restrictions such as mask-wearing and social distancing in daily life has developed into anger. Job seeker Park Young-jun (27) said, "Not getting a job and having to wear a mask are really frustrating," adding, "I am angry about this reality."

According to a survey titled 'COVID-19 and Social Health' conducted by Professor Yoo Myung-soon’s research team at Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health from the 25th to 28th of last month, involving 2,000 adult men and women nationwide, the number of people feeling anger after the COVID-19 situation continues to increase. When asked, "What emotion do you feel most strongly from COVID-19 news?" 47.5% answered "anxiety," followed by anger (25.3%) and fear (15.2%). Especially compared to the same survey conducted in early August, the percentage of those who answered anxiety decreased by 15.2 percentage points, but anger increased 2.2 times, and fear increased 2.81 times.

As the anger index in Korean society continues to rise due to COVID-19, there is also a forecast that the number of patients receiving treatment for anger management disorder will increase this year. According to the 'Status of Outpatients with Anger Management Disorder' submitted by the National Health Insurance Service to the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Hye-young, the number of anger management disorder patients from January to June this year was 1,389, which is 61.7% of last year's figure, indicating that the number of patients with anger management disorder is expected to increase during the COVID-19 phase.

Professor Baek Jong-woo of Kyung Hee University Department of Psychiatry explained, "Anger can lead to domestic violence and other issues, so managing it is important," adding, "The most important thing is to first recognize that your emotion is anger. After that, efforts to communicate these feelings to others to reduce conflicts and to reduce anger through activities such as exercise are necessary."