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Is Smashing Things a Good Way To Relieve Stress? (Clients of the Anger Room Sure Think So)

SodaHead Living 2012/05/13 00:28:56
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Have you ever had such a bad day that you just wanted to break something? Or maybe throw a piece of furniture across the room? Well, now a Texas entrepreneur has devised a socially acceptable way for you to spew your rage.

The Anger Room is the brainchild of Donna Alexander, who first launched the business out of her garage. Friends seeking to relieve stress would come over and take baseball bats to old junk in the room. When word got out about what they were doing, strangers began to show up and demand became too much to handle. That’s when Alexander decided to turn the Anger Room into a legitimate business.

Now when clients come to the Anger Room’s new location in a Dallas strip mall, they are decked out in safety goggles and helmets to protect themselves. They then enter a room filled with old furniture and electronics, arranged to look like an office, bedroom, or kitchen. Once inside, anything is fair game. You can smash, break, throw, and destroy to your heart’s content.

If you want, you can also take out relationship stress on mannequins. Alexander told a Dallas TV station that some customers “put pictures on them, write on them, and then they try to beat the crap out of them.”



Anger Room sessions are available in three time options: “I need a Break!”—$25 for 5 minutes; “Lash Out”—$45 for 15 minutes; and “Total Demolition”—$75 for 25 minutes. The rates are pretty affordable considering you don’t have to collect the items or do any of the setup and cleanup.

So what do you think SodaHeads? Is smashing things a good way to relieve stress?

Read More: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/05/12/go-ahead-smash...

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  • Karla 2012/05/14 15:07:46
  • Nite417 2012/05/14 14:25:48
    Yes
    Nite417
    +1
    I think I need one of these rooms either at my workplace or in my backyard. I'm all for controlling anger when possible, but that's not always realistic. We don't live on Planet Cakewalk.
  • smitty 2012/05/14 13:54:40
    Yes
    smitty
    This man likes hammers.
  • Jay 2012/05/14 13:03:21
    Yes
    Jay
    +1
    Of course it is! You get to relieve all the stress and anger you have bottled up.
  • c.ruth93 2012/05/14 13:02:32
    Undecided
    c.ruth93
    My Psych courses have told me this type of behavior actually builds up the anger, but I myself have destroyed things trying to relieve my stress and anger. I found it helpful. So I don't know. It can be good for some and terrible for others.
  • Greg c.ruth93 2012/05/14 18:08:17
    Greg
    +1
    Your Psych courses are right. According to studies this actually causes you to be more stressed in the long run. The best way to relieve stress is to write out the benefits that flow from stressful situations. See the silver lining, so to speak. Also, you can listen to some classical music, or spend time with a dog. Even just watching dogs on tv is better than smashing things.
  • joshua ben-ami 2012/05/14 11:09:36
    Yes
    joshua ben-ami
    +1
    the venting can be very calming, as long as it's in a controlled safe environment, so this is not endorsing random violence on people or others property.
  • AnonRanGER 2012/05/14 10:57:27 (edited)
  • Cassie.Anna.Cary 2012/05/14 10:11:21
  • Wanderer 2012/05/14 10:10:20
    No
    Wanderer
    +1
    I'd rather find something funny.....it works for me.
  • bullet for my valentine 2012/05/14 09:03:32
    Yes
    bullet for my valentine
    yes it is
  • Michael 2012/05/14 08:52:05
    No
    Michael
    go to a boxing gym and use a punching bag. pillow fights are also more fun.
  • Giantfighter 2012/05/14 08:50:05 (edited)
    No
    Giantfighter
    Everyone has their own way of coping. Frankly I have less ager than throwing or breaking things...meditation, prayer, gardening, writing, music or creating things help me & are more productive, but that's just me. If I could get a massage that would be even better.
  • Mamaknows 2012/05/14 08:37:19
    Yes
    Mamaknows
    It feels good but I like to shoot stuff more....two birds with one stone:)
    Target practice and stress relief!
  • Jiorgia 2012/05/14 05:35:04
    Yes
    Jiorgia
    i enjoy it.
    i keep it under control though... breaking chipped/cracked plates, bowls.
  • Fred For All 2012/05/14 05:25:14
    Undecided
    Fred For All
    Not sure but maybe that's why gays get beatup
  • Z-Wolf 2012/05/14 05:04:14
    Yes
    Z-Wolf
    It's better than someone getting to the point where they will do the same thing without the consent of someone else. You wouldn't like that to happen in an office, bedroom, or kitchen, would you?
  • LukeC 2012/05/14 05:01:05
    Yes
    LukeC
    I have punched holes in walls, kicked doors down and through, and all that.

    But it saved me punching in a few faces..
  • Corsair 2012/05/14 04:04:34
    Yes
    Corsair
    That, and also hitting the weights at the gym also wears that adrenaline out that's built up from anger.
  • TC1116 2012/05/14 03:54:25
    No
    TC1116
    +2
    Although to many it may seem that it would be - relieving tension and aggression, without hurting any people. However, it is still a negative act. Before you say "Oh-God!" - keep in mind that smashing a bunch of things may have a short-term positive in relieving tension, but it doesn't really deal with or resolve anything. Not really. If you feel smashing bunch of things is the answer, you probably "need" more professional counseling help.
  • Greg TC1116 2012/05/14 18:13:27
    Greg
    I wouldn't say that anyone needs professional counseling help, they just need to learn better ways of dealing with stress. Write out the benefits that flow from stressful situations, play some classical music, get some sun, or even watch a comedy on TV or a show about dogs on Animal Planet.
  • TC1116 Greg 2012/05/15 03:02:58
    TC1116
    Do you understand what professional counseling "is"? Professional counselors are schooled in the "correct" ways to help people "learn better ways of dealing with stress" by helping to discover the cause(s). If you feel the need to smash things...you would benefit from counseling, even more than smashing things.
  • Greg TC1116 2012/05/15 23:48:41
    Greg
    In another study, those who merely talked about their issues with a counselor fared much worse than those that did the benefit finding and benefit reminding exercises. THAT is why I said they didn't need counseling, they can learn how to write about the benefits of stressful situations all on their own. In fact, you and anyone who read my responses can now do it yourselves after just reading two itty bitty paragraphs. (In the words of Penn and Teller, counseling is...)
  • TC1116 Greg 2012/05/16 04:01:09
    TC1116
    Actually, anyone following that advice, will most likely never get better. You can't learn by teaching yourself, what you do not know. You must go to those who have learned how to teach and heal. Only a fool would take the advice of someone who is not an expert. Telling them to treat themselves and that is better than getting counseling from a "real" doctor/counselor? Ridiculous. Good luck with that. NEXT!
  • Greg TC1116 2012/05/16 21:41:32
    Greg
    Wow! You are even more full of ... yourself than I originally thought. Bye.
  • sebastianbeach8@yahoo.ca 2012/05/14 03:36:41
    Yes
    sebastianbeach8@yahoo.ca
    Yeah its perfect
  • lmnlme10921 2012/05/14 03:10:08
    Undecided
    lmnlme10921
    +1
    When I'm stressed, I'd rather learn an easier way to calm myself down. However, I would go there just for the hell of it.
  • Greg lmnlme1... 2012/05/14 18:14:44
    Greg
    According to studies done at the University of Miami by Michael McCullogh and his colleagues, the best way to relieve stress is to write out the benefits that flow from stressful situations. Also, you can play some classical music, get some sun, or even watch a comedy on TV or a show about dogs on Animal Planet.
  • a7xwckd 2012/05/14 03:04:49
  • animelover123 2012/05/14 02:53:02
    Yes
    animelover123
    It would for me!
  • Julian 2012/05/14 02:49:48
    No
    Julian
    +2
    Breaking things may be an EFFECTIVE way to relieve stress, riots are good evidence of that, but I don't think it's a GOOD way to relieve stress. A GOOD way to relieve stress is exercise, preferably outdoors.

    As an example of the psychological benefits of exercise, a daily walk has been proven to be a more effective treatment for depression than any antidepressant drug.

    hiking
  • TruBluTopaz 2012/05/14 02:38:11
    Undecided
    TruBluTopaz
    +1
    But it seems Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers must thing so.....
  • edlie 2012/05/14 02:30:35
    Undecided
    edlie
    +1
    well i think there are still some other ways to de-stress..much simple and not complicated as to smashing things, most likely if it is still usable!i am not incredible hulk anyways..haha! xD

    but honestly, i've done this before when i am super mad..i guess it somehow help me became relieved!but also, it helped me to lose my rice cooker haha..so i bet i won't this again! xD
  • Elementer 2012/05/14 02:25:44
    Undecided
    Elementer
    +1
    Paying someone to smash things? Pfft, play a sport or something.
  • Bree 2012/05/14 02:19:18
    Yes
    Bree
    yerrrrr , u do its great fun when ur angry
  • Sandman366 2012/05/14 02:04:53
    Yes
    Sandman366
    Well, not sure about stress, but very much so for frustration.
  • EscapedMentalPatient 2012/05/14 01:51:56
    Yes
    EscapedMentalPatient
    this why i cant own any thing that dont fly across the room
  • biizkit 2012/05/14 00:59:42
    Yes
    biizkit
    yes yes it is :D
    smashing tv
  • JimmyIIX 2012/05/14 00:58:17
    Yes
    JimmyIIX
    +1
    Good Idea maybe I'll start one if florida, we need it.
  • Wretha S 2012/05/14 00:42:27
    Undecided
    Wretha S
    +1
    I dunno, I would think there were better ways of handling stress...

    Wretha

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2013/05/20 17:04:13

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