That's the finding of a new study from Harvard University. Researchers studied 10,000 teenagers and asked them things like, "How often do you get angry?" and "What do you do when you're upset?"
The result? About 10% of teenagers regularly have "anger attacks," where they go from "0 to 60 mph" in seconds, and get so fired up that they destroy property, or become violent, getting into fights, or punching holes in walls. What they're suffering from is called "intermittent explosive disorder," or IED, and it can last a lifetime.
For example, 1 in 10 adult men, and 1 in 20 adult women, get so angry they're literally sick.
How do you know you have it? If you blow up at least twice a week, and get so angry you're likely to damage property, threaten others, or hurt somebody.
Experts say that people who suffer from IED also have fewer friends, are more likely to be divorced, and are less likely to have a decent job. Also, studies show that being chronically angry increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.
So what can you do if that diagnosis sounds all too familiar?
Lead researcher Dr. Ronald Kessler says people with IED need to receive anger management, whether they're teens or adults.
They need to find a way to deal with their angry feelings and channel their energy. One trick is to do something incompatible with anger. In other words, distract yourself with a movie, a game, or your favorite magazine until you calm down. But the experts say, most people with IED do need counseling to help manage their behavior.
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