When we're angry, we often look for ways to blow off steam—a vent session with a friend, a long run, or even a few rounds of boxing are common options. But, according to new research, this actually isn't the best way to cope with anger. Contrary to popular belief, these activities can have the opposite effect.
A study published in Clinical Psychology Review shows that mindfulness activities, such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing, are actually much more effective in dissipating anger. Sophie Kjærvik, a postdoctoral fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University, led the study for her dissertation at Ohio State University. She was inspired to take on the work due to the rise in popularity of rage rooms, which promote smashing things as a way to cope with anger.
“I wanted to debunk the whole theory of expressing anger as a way of coping with it,” she said. “We wanted to show that reducing arousal, and actually the physiological aspect of it, is really important.”
To do so, Kjærvik and a team of researchers analyzed over 150 studies involving 10,189 participants of different genders, races, ages, and cultures. The analysis was guided by something known as the Schachter-Singer two-factor theory, which states that all emotions—including anger—are guided by physiological arousal and cognitive appraisal. Arousal allows us to identify the strength of the emotion, while appraisal is our way of putting a label on what we feel.
Previous studies often examine how behavioral therapy can help people adjust their cognitive appraisal, but Kjærvik wanted to see how arousal levels affect people's abilities to cope with anger. To do so, the team analyzed activities that increased arousal, such as hitting a bag, jogging, cycling, and swimming, versus arousal-decreasing activities.
They discovered that, across the board, activities like deep breathing, relaxation, mindfulness, meditation, slow-flow yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmic breathing, and taking a timeout all decreased anger levels.
“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,” says senior author Brad Bushman, professor of communication at Ohio State University. “Venting anger might sound like a good idea, but there’s not a shred of scientific evidence to support catharsis theory. To reduce anger, it is better to engage in activities that decrease arousal levels.”
Interestingly, jogging was the activity seen as least effective. Rather than help people calm down, it was found to actually increase anger. But that doesn't mean that physical activity is completely off-limits. The researchers found that participating in physical education classes or playing ball sports decreased arousal, which suggests that incorporating play is an important factor in keeping things calm.
While these findings might contradict popular instincts, the best answer is to deal with anger using the same strategies we use to combat stress.
“It was really interesting to see that progressive muscle relaxation and just relaxation in general might be as effective as approaches such as mindfulness and meditation,” Kjærvik says. “Obviously, in today’s society, we’re all dealing with a lot of stress, and we need ways of coping with that, too. Showing that the same strategies that work for stress actually also work for anger is beneficial.”
“It’s really a battle because angry people want to vent, but our research shows that any good feeling we get from venting actually reinforces aggression,” addes Bushman.
This may change how you deal with things the next time you are angry, but the good news is that many of these coping strategies are readily available and often free. Whether you download a wellness app or look up a YouTube video on breathing practices, help is at your fingertips.
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