--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anger repressed can poison a relationship…" description: "\"Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the cruelest words\" — Dr Joyce Brothers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dr-joyce-brothers-87350_anger_anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationshi_2359398.jpg" --- # Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the… ![“Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the cruelest words” quote by Dr Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dr-joyce-brothers-87350_anger_anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationshi_2359398.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dr-joyce-brothers-87350_anger_anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationshi_2359398.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dr-joyce-brothers-87350_anger_anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationshi_2359398.jpg) > “Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the cruelest words” Dr Joyce Brothers ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unexpressed anger harms connections as much as harsh language. **In simple terms:** Hidden anger damages relationships. Key Takeaway Address anger early. Themes relationships emotions communication Mood tense reflective Type advice warning When to use this quote - marriage counseling - friendship - family dynamics Key Concepts psychology conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How do you notice anger building? - What steps can you take to express it safely? A Different Perspective Anger may also stem from fear, not just repression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Being hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-hurt/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Repressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repressed/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the crudest words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationship-as-surely-as-the-crudest/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [In that moment I understood that the cruelest words in the universe are if only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/in-that-moment-i-understood-that-the-cruelest-words-in-the-universe/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“I know that I do not know, and uncertainty, certainly, is the cruelest of words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/i-know-that-i-do-not-know-and-uncertainty-certainly-is-the-cruelest/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [“So many mistakes. So many errors. So much tragedy as a result. In that moment I understood that the cruelest words in the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/so-many-mistakes-so-many-errors-so-much-tragedy-as-a-result-in-that/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [“Evagrius said, ‘A wandering mind is strengthened by reading, and prayer. Passion is dampened down by hunger and work and solitude. Anger is repressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedicta-ward/evagrius-said-a-wandering-mind-is-strengthened-by-reading-and-prayer/) [Benedicta Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedicta-ward/) > [“When anger is repressed by reason of inability to do immediate harm, it retires into the heart in the form of malice and breeds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wortabet/when-anger-is-repressed-by-reason-of-inability-to-do-immediate-harm/) [John Wortabet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wortabet/) > [Will I ever see clearly through these tear shadowed eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-l-maree/will-i-ever-see-clearly-through-these-tear-shadowed-eyes/) Natasha L'maree > [You've been hurt so much and you have every right to be ANGRY, but your anger isn't hurting the person you're mad at it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-ve-been-hurt-so-much-and-you-have-every-right-to-be-angry-but/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [It hurt when my anger suddenly turn into tears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne/it-hurt-when-my-anger-suddenly-turn-into-tears/) [Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne/) > [It only lasted 4months but those months were intense, we were amazing 2 begin with, then we were in deep & nearer the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-shipman/it-only-lasted-4months-but-those-months-were-intense-we-were-amazing/) [Samantha Shipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-shipman/) > [In those who rest on their unshakable faith, pharisaism and fanaticism are the unmistakable symptoms of doubt which has been repressed. Doubt is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/in-those-who-rest-on-their-unshakable-faith-pharisaism-and-fanaticism/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Most Americans take their freedom very seriously, but they don't realize that not everyone is free. The repressed are not free to do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnathon-schaech/most-americans-take-their-freedom-very-seriously-but-they-don-t/) [Johnathon Schaech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnathon-schaech/) > [To play a repressed gay man, I had to explore what life was like in an era of sexual repression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-play-a-repressed-gay-man-i-had-to-explore-what-life-was-like-in-an/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I was brought up by the English side of my family, who are very repressed and working class. Absolutely lovely, but very English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/i-was-brought-up-by-the-english-side-of-my-family-who-are-very/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [...I have to tell you that I'm not all that comfortable with the idea of spending the rest of my life sleeping next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/i-have-to-tell-you-that-i-m-not-all-that-comfortable-with-the-idea-of/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) ## More by Dr Joyce Brothers > [Marriage is not just spiritual communion and passionate embraces; marriage is also three meals a day, sharing the workload and remembering to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-joyce-brothers/marriage-is-not-just-spiritual-communion-and-passionate-embraces/) Dr Joyce Brothers > [An individual's self-concept is the core of his personality. It affects every aspect of human behavior: the ability to learn, the capacity to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-joyce-brothers/an-individual-s-self-concept-is-the-core-of-his-personality-it/) Dr Joyce Brothers Explore all 3 Dr Joyce Brothers quotes ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the cruelest words", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr Joyce Brothers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-joyce-brothers/anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationship-as-surely-as-the-cruelest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-joyce-brothers/anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationship-as-surely-as-the-cruelest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dr-joyce-brothers-87350_anger_anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationshi_2359398.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dr-joyce-brothers-87350_anger_anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationshi_2359398.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dr-joyce-brothers-87350_anger_anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationshi_2359398.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the cruelest words” — Dr Joyce Brothers", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dr Joyce Brothers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-joyce-brothers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anger repressed can poison a relationship...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-joyce-brothers/anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationship-as-surely-as-the-cruelest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-joyce-brothers/anger-repressed-can-poison-a-relationship-as-surely-as-the-cruelest/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```