The negative stereotype of the ‘Angry Black Woman’ means that a lot of us tend to suppress/hide any anger we feel, especially in professional spaces. This can be bad for our mental wellbeing and recent studies suggest that it can also negatively affect our physical health as well. A new study by researchers at Standford University has helped to clarify the link between suppressed anger and the development of autoimmune disorders. In this post, we explore this link and what we can do about it.
What are autoimmune disorders?
Autoimmune disorders are conditions where a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself because it can’t tell the difference between healthy tissue and harmful tissue. There are over 100 known autoimmune disorders and, unfortunately, women are around twice as likely to develop an autoimmune disorder than men (1). Black women, especially appear to be more vulnerable to autoimmune disorders and are more likely to die from them due to inequalities with access to and quality of healthcare (7). Examples of autoimmune disorders include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and type 1 diabetes.
Why are women more likely to get autoimmune disorders?
Autoimmune disorders can be caused by a range of factors but the most common is X-chromosome inactivation. This process can be a little long-winded, but the highlights are:
Most people who were assigned female at birth have a pair of X-chromosomes in every cell. People assigned male at birth usually have one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome
X-chromosomes contain genetic information to make a wide range of active proteins
If the genetic information for both X-chromosomes were used to make proteins, each cell would make double the number of proteins that it needed which could be very harmful
At the embryo stage of life, cells shut down the activity of one of the two X-chromosomes to avoid this. This is called X-chromosome inactivation.
A molecule called Xist is responsible for X-chromosome inactivation (2). Xist is only produced in cells with two matching X-chromosomes but only binds to and works to suppress the activity of one of the pair. Xist is made up of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). This means that when Xist binds to an X-chromosome, it can reduce the activity of large sections of the chromosome at a time. Xist’s large area of coverage means that a lot of other lncRNA, proteins, and DNA can bind to it as well, forming large bundles of molecules, known as complexes, that can trigger a strong immune response. As this immune response is triggered by parts of your own body and not by an invading organism, this is known as an autoimmune response. This autoimmune response is one of the main factors that cause autoimmune disorders in people assigned female at birth (2).
How does this link to suppressed anger?
For years, researchers have found evidence that links stress to an increased risk of developing an autoimmune disease (3). Stress activates the adrenal glands which leads to increased production of stress hormones such as cortisol and catecholamines (4). These stress hormones can influence immune system activation which can contribute to autoimmune disorders through the mechanism described above.
Some studies suggest that women experience more chronic stressors than men and that this might be due to an unfavourable social environment which encourages women to neglect themselves and their self-care (4). In this environment, women are also expected to appear demure and amicable which leads to many women suppressing emotions like anger. This is known as self-silencing (5). Levels of anger suppression can differ between cultures, but research suggests that anger suppression in any capacity is associated with increased perceived stress which, in turn, can affect physical health (6).
What does this mean for Black women?
Intersectional factors such as racism can mean that Black women experience more stress than our White counterparts (7). To add to this, the negative stereotype of the ‘Angry Black Woman’ can often lead to Black women being reluctant to express any anger that they feel, particularly in professional spaces or around non-Black people. This can, unfortunately, affect our physical and mental health and mean that we are more likely to experience immune dysfunctions and subsequent autoimmune disorders.
What are we going to do about it?
Unfortunately, ‘never feeling angry or stressed’ is not an option. With so much injustice in the world, it’s hard not to feel stressed and angry. If you are ever in a situation where you feel angry, try to make sure that you have some time to express your anger and frustration rather than suppressing it. It might not be best to express your anger in the moment because unfortunately, that could lead to some negative consequences but it is still important to take time to feel your feelings. It might not feel like it but practicing self-care and looking after your wellbeing can help you cope with the stresses in your life. There are many resources online that offer tips and tricks to help you manage stress. Some useful resources can be found on the Mind website and the NHS website.
If you already have an autoimmune disorder, following the treatment plans provided by your doctor will likely be the best way to manage your condition, although practicing mindfulness and self-care might help to minimise flare-ups.
In conclusion, suppressing your anger may be bad for your physical health and could contribute to the development or worsening of autoimmune disorders. To help reduce this, it is important for women, especially Black women, to recognise when they are self-silencing and work to embrace and express our emotions.
By Esther Ansah, Blog Writer
References
1. Angum F, Khan T, Kaler J, Siddiqui L, Hussain A. The Prevalence of Autoimmune Disorders in Women: A Narrative Review. Cureus. 2020 May 13;12(5).
2. Dou DR, Zhao Y, Belk JA, Zhao Y, Casey KM, Chen DC, et al. Xist ribonucleoproteins promote female sex-biased autoimmunity. Cell. 2024 Feb 1;187(3):733-749.e16.
3. Song H, Fang F, Tomasson G, Arnberg FK, Mataix-Cols D, De La Cruz LF, et al. Association of Stress-Related Disorders With Subsequent Autoimmune Disease. JAMA. 2018 Jun 19;319(23):2388–400.
4. Mayor E. Gender roles and traits in stress and health. Front Psychol. 2015 Jun 9;6(JUN):135758.
5. Maji S, Dixit S. Self-silencing and women’s health: A review. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 2018 Dec 5;65(1):3–13.
6. Yamaguchi A, Kim MS, Oshio A, Akutsu S. The role of anger regulation on perceived stress status and physical health. Pers Individ Dif. 2017 Oct 1;116:240–5.
7. Hunter EA, Spears EC, Martz CD, Chung K, Fuller-Rowell TE, Lim SS, et al. Racism-related stress and psychological distress: Black Women’s Experiences Living with Lupus study. J Health Psychol. 2020 Mar 31;26(13):2374–89.
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