We all know resentment is bad for us, like we know stress in general is bad. But what about the psychology of resentment, what is the basis of resentment in our lives? If you are harboring resentment, it means that you are hurt, angry, or feel that someone is taking advantage of you.

Resentment, at its core, is what happens when a need is not being met in our lives, especially a supportive or emotional need. When we are resentful, we reply words or actions that caused our suffering in the first place. When this happens, it solidifies in our memory and our anger or sadness can increase. This creates stress, which causes cortisol levels to rise and which can be deleterious to brain health, including killing neurons. 

Usually, a resentful person shares their feelings with others and research has indicated that venting is actually not healthy as it solidifies the anger in a person’s mind due to the brain inherent plasticity.

One way to reduce resentful is to recognize that it is a choice, it is a judgment passed on another or on a situation. Meditation and other relaxation techniques are also helpful, as they ease psychological suffering while reducing stress and its negative effects on health.

My original post can be seen here.