Anger is an important emotion. Anger is neither good nor bad.

It is a physical and emotional response that motivates us to act when under threat. The trick is to manage our response to anger in a positive and controlled way.

Anger is not the same as aggression. Anger is an emotion, aggression is an action.

Anger can be an energy used to motivate as a force for good. Harnessing this energy can lead to campaigning for change and righting wrongs and being clear about what we need.

Anger can happen in the moment, activated by a trigger or thought.

Anger can come to the surface years later, as its roots are linked to unresolved events in the past.

There are several reasons why veterans in particular might struggle with anger. Here are just a few.

Military training means being very alert to hidden dangers, along with the ability to harness anger and aggression very quickly in order to fight the enemy and survive. This is useful in the military and often necessary when on active duty, but not so helpful in civilian life.

Serving in the military can also lead to more exposure to highly stressful events and traumatic experiences compared to most civilians. This can lead to the 'fight/flight/freeze' system being activated over and over again - perhaps predominantly the fight system. These experiences may reduce our tolerance for different feelings, meaning we are more easily triggered to anger.

Some veterans may struggle with leaving the military and re-joining 'civvy street'. The challenges this can bring and the perceived lack of support and understanding from the MOD and/or civilian services can lead to angry feelings.

Life before the military may have been difficult for some veterans. Certain early life experiences such as childhood neglect or abuse, and bullying through school years may have led to increased angry feelings even before joining the military