Angry is Just Sad's Bodyguard

I've been angry lately. I'm not one to get overly mad about things, let alone angry. But it's been seeping in through the cracks and being upset is leading to anger. Anger is not part of my (typical) personality. In the past it has taken A LOT to make me angry. The past 4-6 weeks if someone looks at me wrong I get angry. Why? Why is my brain suddenly feeling this emotion after it being suppressed for SO long? I don't like it. I don't like getting angry, being angry, feeling angry. I don't know how to BE angry. How do I (correctly) express my feeling of anger? How do I go about doing so without saying something I don't mean, will regret, or without hurting someone else's feelings? Permanent damage can be done when people are angry and the last thing I want to do is lose a friend or loved one because I was angry (and said something stupid). I know there are times that anger is legitimate and things deserve to be said when one is angry. I'm trying to figure this out.

What is causing me to be so angry? Mostly it's other people's behaviors, aka things I shouldn't pay an ounce of attention to. Things people say to me or say behind my back. Things people are saying or (not) doing at work. The way people are treating me at work. The frustration of waiting for phone calls. The environment I am in for a majority of my day. The answer (to some) is probably simple: leave that environment. Easier said than done. I would rather get to the root of why little things seem to have a big impact on my emotions than to just "leave". I need to work on ignoring what is being said (about me) that isn't true . I need to work on keeping my head down and not listening to others. I need to continue to stand up for myself even though I just knocked right back down because (eventually) it will pay off.

What I do know that is if I wasn't feeling angry I would probably be feeling (more) sad than I care to admit. After all, angry is just sad's bodyguard.