What It Actually Means When You’re So Angry That You See Red

The phrase “seeing red” is widely understood to mean being so angry that it metaphorically tints your perception. Generally, it has nothing to do with literally seeing the color red — unless you have erythropsia, the medical term for red-tinged vision.

So where does the phrase come from, and what does it actually mean? Here’s what experts have to say.

“It’s really a colloquial term — not a clinical one — to mean having a flash of anger so extreme, it takes over your mind,” says Gail Saltz, MD, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian in New York City and the author of Becoming Real: Defeating the Stories We Tell Ourselves That Hold Us Back.

What happens when people see red is that “the emotional state supersedes the rational state, and we do not process things,” says neuropsychologist Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, the founder and director of Comprehend the Mind in Forest Hills, New York. “There is so much emotion that replaces proper cause-and-effect processing in the brain.”

Dr. Hafeez suggests another theory: “It’s widely believed that ‘seeing red’ originates from bullfighting and the matador’s use of a red cape to deceive the bull,” she says. “The matador beckons to the bull with a red cape, which agitates the bull who charges for the cape.”

In this case, the term can refer to anyone who responds like the bull: becoming enraged or lashing out in anger.

When you see red, “you’re so angered and enraged that you feel like you could hit something or someone, or say something hurtful,” says clinical psychologist Thea Gallagher, PsyD, a clinical assistant professor of psychology at NYU Langone Health and cohost of the Mind in View podcast, who’s based in Langhorne, Pennsylvania.

And that’s where the danger of seeing red really comes into play: In that moment of rage, your words or actions could irreparably damage a relationship, since you could lose sight of how they might affect someone else’s feelings.

What Is Erythropsia?

Though the phrase “seeing red” is typically used in a metaphorical way, a medical condition called erythropsia could cause objects in your vision to look tinged with red — literally, not as a figurative result of intense anger.

While every person’s anger triggers differ, several situations may commonly prompt this response.

“It’s often a wound to one’s pride or self-image — something that causes extreme embarrassment or shame, a direct verbal or physical attack, or something that causes intense frustration,” says Dr. Saltz. “What elicits these emotions can vary from person to person.”

Your personal history can play a role, too, according to Hafeez. “Everyone has unique anger triggers based on what they were taught to expect from themselves, others, and the world around them,” she says.

In particular, how adults around you modeled certain emotional responses when you were a kid could influence how you naturally react to similar scenarios years later. “If aggression or heightened anger was something you witnessed a lot, you may be more likely to act in the same way,” says Dr. Gallagher.

Having unprocessed emotions around a particular trigger can be a driving factor, too, says Gallagher. For example, if you tend to feel intellectually inferior to some people because you weren’t a great student in school, then hearing someone make a comment that seems to insult your intelligence, especially in a public setting, may make you angry.

Whenever you start to feel rage building, you can try to practice the following strategies to calm down before you get to the point of seeing red.

Breathe

One of the few things that you can control in this state, however, is your breath. So to restore some calm, you can focus on your breathing — taking slow, calm breaths in and out from your diaphragm.

“Slow, deliberate breathing actively calls off the state of alarm in the sympathetic nervous system,” says Hafeez, who recommends taking five deep, measured breaths when you feel anger coming on.

Figure Out What’s Behind Your Anger

Anger usually comes from a mix of other emotions, says Hafeez, including rejection, jealousy, loss, fear of competition, and criticism.

“All those emotions can manifest in anger, but recognizing exactly which one might be affecting your mood can help you gain control over it,” she says.

Try to Interrupt the Anger

The key is to look out for angry thoughts while they’re reflective of irritation or annoyance — before they turn into full-blown rage.

“If you see something going wrong, act forcefully and quickly before you lose your cool while still having a suitable manner and humor,” Hafeez says. “By clearly addressing irritations in a timely fashion, the feelings may not have the chance to build to the point where you lose control.”

You could do this by talking calmly about an issue that annoys you with the person responsible — whether it’s a partner, friend, family member, coworker, neighbor, or other acquaintance — before any resentment builds up.

For example, if you get annoyed that your partner left a dirty dish in the sink, your instinct might be to yell about how they never clean up after themselves. But before responding, you can instead give yourself a few minutes to simply breathe and try to look at the situation from a different perspective.

You might realize that your partner only leaves their dirty dishes behind in the morning when they’re frazzled and running late for work. Once you understand their motivation, your anger might subside and you can have a calmer discussion with them about the situation, how it makes you feel, and how you might work together to resolve it.

Recognize the Physical Signs That You’re About to See Red

If you’re aware of the way that your body responds to anger, including how your stomach feels and what’s happening with your hands, you might be able to take a breather before it goes off the rails.

“These physiological responses to anger will vary from person to person but are [usually] easily recognizable,” says Hafeez. “By listening to your early warning system and recognizing when your anger starts to escalate, you’ll know when to do something calming like take a walk to bring your emotional state back down.”

If you tend to see red a lot, or if it happens more often than it used to, Gallagher recommends seeking out mental health counseling. “There are a lot of skills that a therapist can teach you to help slow down your anger response to certain triggers,” she says. “And with time, you can learn to respond more effectively.

• "Seeing red" typically refers to a metaphorical state of intense anger, rather than a literal color perception.
• High levels of emotion and reacting without thinking can lead to actions that you regret; recognizing your anger cues and learning how to respond can help set paths for managing your emotions and preserving relationships.
• Strategies such as deep breathing and addressing underlying emotions can help. Consulting with a mental health professional can also be a productive step toward managing your emotions more effectively.