Forgiving Has Costs

Most people have a really hard time letting go.  Instead, they hold on to anger from past hurts, practice unforgiveness, and hold grudges.  And they pay a high price for these actions.

Unforgiveness has high costs.  People who struggle to forgive and move on often suffer from:

• Depression
• Headaches
• Back/neck pain
• High blood pressure
• Trouble sleeping
• Stomach pain
• Ulcers
• Poor relationships
• Increased stress

If you suffer any of these symptoms, there is a good chance that unforgiveness is causing a problem for you in your life.  Bitterness and resentment can ravage your health on both an emotional and a physical level.  Letting go is vitally important because holding anger is a poison.  It eats you from the inside.  We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us.  But hatred is a curved blade.  And the harm we do, we do to ourselves.

Excerpt from “Take Control of Your Anger: A step-by-step guide to Anger Management” by Michael Ballard, MA, NCC, LPC