Anger is a natural, instinctive response to threats. Anger is an emotion characterized by resentment toward someone or something you feel has intentionally done you wrong. Anger can be a good thing; it can be necessary for survival. For example, anger can give you a way to express negative feelings or motivate you to find solutions to problems. However, excessive anger can cause problems; this is when you have trouble controlling it, causing you to say or do things you regret. Uncontrolled anger is destructive to your physical and mental health. It can also quickly escalate to verbal or physical violence, harming you and those around you.