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You Angrier
Think before yelling and slamming that door in disgust. Research indicates hot-headed reactions may increase your anger, not
diffuse it.
Angry? You could call a friend and vent. You could punch a pillow or break
a plate. Or you could even record a rant on a website
like RantRampage.com. Unfortunately, you may be doing more harm than
good; research has found that venting actually makes your anger worse.
“Venting may make you feel different in the moment, but the change in
emotional state doesn’t necessarily feel better; it may just feel less bad,”
says Jeffrey Lohr, psychology professor at the University of Arkansas. Lohr
coauthored the 2007 study: “The Pseudopsychology of Venting in the
Treatment of Anger: Implications and Alternatives for Mental Health
Practice,” published in Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice.
Reviewing the results of anger expression research–including the earliest
experiments in 1959–he and his co-researchers found that venting lacks
scientific support, and “directly challenges the integrity of mental health
practice and places the public at risk.”
“People don’t break wind in elevators more than they have to,” says Lohr.
“Venting anger is an emotional expression. It’s similar to emotional farting
in a closed area. It sounds like a good idea, but it’s dead wrong.”
1. TAKE A TIMEOUT
Studies have shown that anger dissipates faster when people take deep
breaths, relax, or take a timeout, says Lohr. If you’re in a situation where
you’re feeling like your emotions are getting out of control, then walk away
and take a break. Practice deep breathing exercises or repeat a calming
phrase, such as “let it go.”
“Any action that makes it impossible to sustain the angry state can help
defuse anger,” says Lohr.
3. PUT IT IN WRITING
Finally, consider venting on paper. The 2008 study “Effects of Written
Anger Expression in Chronic Pain Patients,” published in the Journal of
Behavioral Medicine, found that expressive writing can be a constructive
alternative to verbal venting because it can give you a better understanding
of the cause of your feelings. Participants in the study who had written
about the anger they had as a result of their pain reported less depression
and greater feelings of control.
Keep a journal or write letters that you don’t share. Then assess your
feelings to determine the cause and possible solutions.
“Make sure that you identify that you’re feeling anger rather than other
negative emotions like sadness and depression,” says Lohr. “Anger is in no
way shape or form like sadness, and depression is anger turned inward.
Both sadness and depression are improved by expressing your feelings,
getting them validated, and then getting them fixed.”