In therapy, anger is a common response, particularly among men who may have been socialized to express emotions through aggression. Research indicates that men with depression and anxiety tend to experience more aggression than women. This behavior is often linked to childhood environments where loudness equated to being heard. Licensed clinical social worker Reuben Brody notes that societal perceptions of masculinity have evolved, but many men still convert feelings like sadness into anger, making it essential for therapy to provide strategies for managing these emotions.
Dr. Jennifer Melfi explains that Tony's mother, Livia, tried to have him killed, provoking Tony's violent reaction where he threatens his therapist after flipping a glass table.
Therapists acknowledge that emotional expression norms have shifted, with anger being a socially accepted emotion for boys, causing them to channel feelings like sadness into aggression.
Reuben Brody highlights the connection between childhood experiences and adult behavior, noting that those raised in loud environments may continue associating yelling with being heard.
The impulse to convert unpleasant emotions, such as sadness, into energizing ones like anger is common and largely influenced by childhood socialization.
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