A Smashing New Way to Relieve Anger and Stress

Anger Management: Smashing and Breaking Stuff to Relieve Stress and Frustration

Smashing and Breaking Things to Relieve Anger and Stress

Anger Management - Smashing and Breaking Stuff to Relieve Anger and StressAnger and stress are pent-up energy that requires—even demands—some form of release. Some choose watching TV, a body massage or a nice dinner with family or friends. Others prefer something more physically challenging, like smashing things with a sledgehammer.

Since going on a rampage is not always viable—not to mention costly and illegal under many circumstances—perhaps a purpose-built room which facilitates the smashing and breaking stuff up is the answer.

Introducing the Anger (or Rage) Room. A new trend that hits Singapore shore (no pun intended) in 2017. It provides a controlled environment where you can safely smash and vent to your heart’s contend. For a fee, you get to smash up everyday items like TV set, computer, furniture, plates, drinking glass. Even mannequins are available for the right price.

Such a novel idea…or is it?

Plant the Seed, Fuel the Rage

When you engage in an activity, especially one that evokes strong emotion, it leaves a powerful imprint in your mind and body. If you carry out the activity long enough, this mental imprint deepens and the practiced action becomes second-nature or instinctual. This is one of the reasons airline pilots train for emergencies and athletes practice long and hard before competitions.

Mental Imprint Through Repeated Practice
Mental Imprint Through Repeated Practice

So what does deepening mental imprint and practiced action got to do with smashing and venting? As it happens, a lot. Let me explain…

When you vent your anger and frustration or de-stress by smashing things (practiced action), you are likely to feel a sense of relief due to the physical exertion, adrenaline rush, and emotional outburst but…such a feeling is only temporary, a false sense of ease.

You may not realized that you have unwittingly planted a seed of aggression, a potential for lashing out. Subsequent acts of smashing and venting is like watering the seed, encouraging its growth (deepening mental imprint.) In other words, you have unknowingly created and strengthen your propensity to lash out next time you find yourself in trying situations.

The belief that smashing stuff up is somehow therapeutic is laughable at best and misguided at worst.

Nothing but a Dress Rehearsal

Anger Management - Smashing through a laptop screen
When dress rehearsal ends and real action begins.

What you do in an Anger (or Rage) Room is nothing but a dress rehearsal. You essentially condition yourself to smash stuff or alas, other people, when you feel angry, frustrated, or stressed out.

If you keep up this “practice” over time, chances are that you would lash out at others more frequently, at work, at home, or any difficult situations you may find yourself in. This is when dress rehearsal becomes the real thing. When that happens, what started out as fun can turn hurtful, to you if not those around you, very fast.

More Than Just the Package Fee

Despair, Costly Mistake Fuel by RageThe thrill of breaking stuff, knowing that you can do so safely and legally, may be a new and uncommon experience. Admittedly, the added bonus of not having to clean up after yourself is undeniably attractive. Nonetheless, you must beware that the price of such experience may not be limited to just the package fee but potentially your health, career, relationships or all of the above.

Furthermore, the root cause of your anger, frustration, and stress isn’t addressed in any constructive way. All you have to show for your time, money, and effort is a roomful of debris, nothing to write home about.

So are there better ways to appease your inner Hulk? Certainly! The following articles offers you scientifically-proven ways to effectively manage your anger and stress.

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