MPR News with Angela Davis

Is the pandemic causing us to behave badly?

Long lines form at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Everyday nuisances like long lines at the airport are increasing the scenes of negative outbursts from a pandemic weary public.
Tim Nelson | MPR News 2018

The prolonged stress, uncertainty and grief of the pandemic is making people angry — and some of them are taking it out in public. A poll conducted by Monmouth University found that 41 percent of adults said the upheaval caused by the pandemic has made them angry. And that has caused people to have outbursts in grocery stores, on airplanes and other public places

Anger is a normal and natural emotion, according to mental health experts, and it’s a response to the frustration, grief and fear that the pandemic has caused. But when anger is uncontrolled, it can lead to physical health problems, relationship issues and can be harmful to others

MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the increase in pandemic bad behavior with a New York Times journalist. And she talks about the causes of our anger and how to better manage it with a psychologist and an advice columnist.

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