By: Ryan Barton ’24
The idea of being able to let out anger in a controlled, safe space sounds like a great release, but as rage rooms become more popular around the United States, there is a concern on how it affects mental health in the long run.
Rage rooms are small rooms where one or more participants can safely smash and destroy items by throwing them or breaking and even scream for around fifteen to thirty minutes.
Videos continue to surface on social media, praising rage rooms for relieving stress or built-up tension and drawing attention to the unique idea, spiking interest up 57% over the past year.
Dianne, a customer at a rage room said, “Forget escape rooms, your new best friend is the rage room! If you’re looking for a unique and fun activity, come to the rage room where nothing is off limits and you can smash all your frustrations away!”
In most rage rooms across Texas, participants put on a variety of safety gear like helmets, goggles, long sleeves, pants, and close-toed shoes. They then break a variety of objects like glasses, plates, cups, and furniture and scream, punch, hit, and even kick items.
Studies even show that they can have benefits in the short run like helping manage anxiety and PTSD. It also is a fun activity for friends and family that provides an opportunity to spend time together.
Tom Daly, owner of Break Bar, a rage room, said in an article in Business Insider, “I think of it as game,” he said. “It’s a fun activity that’s outside of the box and new. It’s a different experience and it’s something unique.”
Daly has had his store up and running for a while and has noticed that there is a wide variety of clients from corporate events, celebrity meet-and-greets, and even bachelorette parties. Everyone has a different reason for going and some even go to release pent up anger on certain holidays.
“As a single lady, I had initially asked to come on Valentine’s Day. However, Daly asked that I come the following week because February 14 is one of his busiest days of the year,” said a customer at the Break Bar.
However, research suggests that while it seems like a good idea, it typically doesn’t result in relief or catharsis and ends up worsening or reinforcing anger. It may feel good directly after, but it worsens long term stress and anger management.
An article by Very Well Mind reinforces this idea writing, “Simply put, it’s not a healthy way to deal with difficult emotions. Instead of learning effective anger management techniques and coping skills, you are reinforcing an anger response.”
If a person has a chronic issue, it may not address the underlying issue and instead continue that person’s negative ways of coping like being aggressive and violent.
Clinical psychologist Scott Bea says, “We have this culture in which people are often really angry. Yet we’ve not taught people how to express anger in healthy ways, or what anger’s all about, or how it’s sometimes useful.”
While these anger rooms may help get rid of bad feelings in the moment, they do not address the root of the problem or help promote healthier ways to manage their emotions. Instead, there are better options like stress management and meditation.
Marlynn Wei M.D. writes about the positive effects of meditation in an article for Psychology Today, “This study adds to the growing evidence that meditation, both short-term and long-term, can help protect our bodies and minds from the harmful physical stress of anger.”
However, rage rooms are still a fun outing for groups and a good memory to cherish in the future. As long as it stays lighthearted and does not become a coping method, they can be beneficial to users.
THE BEAR FACTS 