What are some healthy ways to release anger?

25 comments
  1. Running
    Chopping wood
    Cleaning
    Singing at the top of your lungs
    Punching bag
    Writing and then burning it

  2. – any form of exercise!
    – journaling
    – talking to a friend
    – having a hobby where you can immerse yourself into it
    – cleaning

  3. Working out, jogging, cleaning, taking a relaxing shower and writing (whether it’s journaling, writing a story etc).

  4. Punching bag, but with actual training or you’ll just hurt yourself. Sign up for a boxing class.

  5. There’s two basic kinds of coping skills: Solution focused and emotion focused

    Solution-focused is doing something to remove or reduce the stressor (if you have a job that makes you miserable, a solution-focused skill may be speaking to your manager, or even quitting the job. If interpersonal conflict is the stressor, talking it out and reaching a compromise/understanding or taking a break from that relationship could be examples of solution-focused skills). Solution-focused tends to be “better” and should be done when possible because you’re actually removing or reducing the stressor.

    Emotion-focused is a skill used to help you handle the emotions and other issues associated with the stressor in a healthy way. Others listed some great ideas, but ultimately you need to find what works for you. Physical outlets are great, so is writing down the things upsetting you. Are you trying to release the “jittery” feeling often associated anger, or are you trying to figure out how to forgive and forget? Are you trying to help yourself sleep better? Stop ruminating thoughts? Sometimes positive reframing is helpful.

    I also think it’s important to recognize that anger is almost never a solo emotion. Anger is usually the “tip of the iceberg” and is how your emotions present, but it’s usually caused by other emotions like fear, embarrassment, betrayal, etc. It might be helpful to identify where the anger is coming from and addressing those emotions and their causes as well.

  6. I like to take my pillow and smack it as hard as I can on my bed a couple of times. Looks silly but does the trick. Or like someone else said, cry in the shower.

  7. i go into my car and let out a good cry and scream, very much needed when I’m angry lol

  8. May not be the healthiest but it’s how I prevent myself from taking my anger out on those around me…. I find something non-valuable and break it (recently it’s been paper plates lol) scream really loud and then breathe it out

  9. Screaming, honestly get in your car or go for a walk, and when your in a place or setting where you won’t freak others out, scream until you can’t, if you cry after even better.

    It releases hormones that help heal and calm when you release all your pent up anger.

    You aren’t a human with a brain, you’re a nerve center with a tail that controls a body. Genuinely this isn’t a joke^ haha.

    Try it, really take a few big deep breaths, find that source of anger and scream until you can’t.

  10. Petition to edit to add “excluding exercise” —for those of us who simply know they will not.

    I’ll take walks tho. Just being 100% honest.

  11. I write out exactly what I’m feeling, using any words I want. Just a huge stream of consciousness.

    Then I take a sharpie and cover it all up and throw it away.

  12. I really enjoy meditation, sitting outside, and just having a good cry. Nothing has ever worked as well as a good old fashioned cry

  13. A lot of people laugh when I say this, but watch a TV show you hate. Nothing that triggers you, but when I get angry I watch a show that I hate and let all my pent up emotional aggression out on the show. Once I get all the pent up emotions out of my system it’s a lot easier to process the actual problem I am dealing with.

  14. Someone told me that if you’re really angry, you could hold your wrists under cold running water or splash some cold water in your face as a quick fix. I haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds like it could work.

  15. Throw a box of tissues several times against the wall.

    It does no damage, satisfying to throw, and I have lots of them around.

    These help too:

    – do starjumps or run up the stairs
    – slam a door or punch a piece of furniture that won’t hurt my hand (desk, bed)
    – suplex a pillow/cushion
    – scream
    – drink a pint of water
    – get in the shower
    – grab a fidget toy and fidget with it aggressively

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