Sometimes the row is not really about the row. Some people reach for conflict because it is the one thing that makes them feel properly awake.

What the research says

Reviews of emotion regulation conclude that difficulty handling feelings turns up across a wide range of mental health problems and looks like something that keeps them running, while noting that the evidence is largely correlational. The narrower idea that some anger is sought out for the alertness it brings comes from clinical observation rather than from trials. Take it as a question to ask yourself, not as an established finding.

Strength of evidence: one line of research. A single study, or a theoretical account.