Anger flares up in everyday situations like traffic jams, board meetings, and kitchen quarrels. Most people want to lash out and vent, hoping the anger will pass quickly. But a new scientific study puts this approach head-to-head with another method: pausing, breathing, and letting it go.
Researchers Brad Bushman and Sophie Kjærvik from Ohio State University have spent years testing the idea of catharsis, or releasing pent-up emotions. Their review of 154 studies involving over 10,000 people shows that activities that lower bodily arousal, such as deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation, and slow yoga, consistently push anger levels down.
The study found that these strategies work just as well for solo exercises at home, therapist-guided sessions, or app-based programs. Even college students, retirees, individuals with intellectual disabilities, and those with criminal records benefited from arousal-decreasing strategies.
In contrast, activities like jogging, hitting a bag, or smashing plates in a rage room showed little effect or even increased anger levels. The researchers suggest that calming the body is a universal solution to reducing anger, not just a fad tied to one social-media trend.
The study’s findings are significant because they show that techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and mindfulness can be effective ways to reduce anger. Even simple exercises like a short walk or attention to nature’s surroundings can help metabolize stress hormones without increasing arousal levels.
Unchecked anger can strain relationships, marriages, and the cardiovascular system over time. However, swapping venting for calming strategies returns control to individuals and can prevent aggressive habits from hardwiring in. With many interventions costing little or nothing, workplaces, prisons, schools, and even parents can apply these strategies to reduce anger.
The study’s authors emphasize that cooling down trumps blowing up. Evidence from over 10,000 volunteers supports this claim, making it a message that holds true for people of all ages. So next time fury rises, skip the punching bag and breathe instead.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/venting-does-not-reduce-anger-psychologists-advise-doing-this-instead