For years, we have heard that venting can serve as a crucial release valve for pent-up emotions, particularly anger. When we feel overwhelmed or frustrated, expressing these feelings aloud or in writing can provide a sense of relief. But a new study has challenged the established norm by claiming that it could in fact increase anger. The study has been carried out by researcher at Ohio University and is based on the analysis of 154 studies on anger. The research team said it found little evidence that venting helps.
"I think it's really important to bust the myth that if you're angry you should blow off steam - get it off your chest," author and communication scientist Brad Bushman told Science Alert.
"Venting anger might sound like a good idea, but there's not a shred of scientific evidence to support catharsis theory," he added.
The study was published in Clinical Psychology Review.
The data of more than 10,000 participants, across ages, genders, cultures and ethnicities, was analysed for the study. It said that the key to curbing anger is reducing physiological arousal.
"To reduce anger, it is better to engage in activities that decrease arousal levels. Despite what popular wisdom may suggest, even going for a run is not an effective strategy because it increases arousal levels and ends up being counterproductive," said Mr Bushman.
The research was inspired by the popularity of "rage rooms", where people pay to smash objects in hopes of releasing anger, author Sophie Kjaervik, a communication scientist at Virginia Commonwealth University, told the outlet.
"I wanted to debunk the whole theory of expressing anger as a way of coping with it. We wanted to show that reducing arousal, and actually the physiological aspect of it, is really important," she said.
Calming activities, like yoga practices, help in curbing the anger effectively, the team found.
Rather than trying to vent anger, researchers recommended undermining it by turning down the heat. They said that calming tactics already proven to ease stress may also rob anger of physiological fuel.
