If you are one of those people who are severely challenged by self-regulation when anger comes coursing through you, you might be tempted to explore a rage room. This trend, which began in earnest roughly 10 years ago, offers the chance to release all your pent-up anger safely, vigorously and without relationship-damaging repercussions. And instead of expensive talk therapy (although rage rooms are not cheap), you can suit up in safety gear, grab a bat and go to town on old electronics and breakable objects.
As exciting as that sounds—anything novel to us has instant appeal—the jury is still out on whether rage rooms are an effective stress-management tool. Although they offer a quick, adrenaline-fueled release, the science doesn’t support them as a long-term strategy for anger or anxiety.
The current state of affairs gives ample reason to why rage rooms might offer a viable service. It’s not a reach to imagine why people might be interested in articulating wild fury. Fresh horrors appear daily, ranging from inflation, deportation, the erosion of democracy, political polarization, corruption and climate crisis. Keeping up with the onslaught of injustice feels almost impossible on a neurological level. There’s no time to fully absorb or process the speed at which things seem to be coming undone. No way to mark the incomprehensible suffering we are also somehow implicated in. Everything goes the way of the endless scroll, that is to oblivion.
Who wouldn’t be tempted to smash things, particularly screens of any kind, which symbolize their own relentless kind of torment?
What is a rage room?
The initial rush you get from smashing something is real. Intense physical activity triggers adrenaline and endorphins, which can create a temporary sense of relief and even euphoria. It feels productive, even cleansing. It’s catharsis made corporeal. Yet the feeling of lightness usually fades fast. Once your nervous system returns to baseline, your stressors are still where you left them. You got the thrill of releasing something potent, but no way to integrate that release into your lif
Does catharsis offer long-term benefits?
Rage rooms rely on the idea of catharsis: if you vent your anger, you’ll purge it. But decades of research, including a large 2024 analysis of anger-management strategies, suggest the opposite. Activities that increase arousal, such as hitting, punching and smashing don’t decrease anger. They can even prolong it by keeping the body in “fight” mode.
What does help with anger?
Approaches that soothe the nervous system, such as slow breathing, grounding, mindfulness and gentle movement. In other words, calming the system, not revving it up. The analysis concluded that “research suggests that relaxation and stress-reduction breathing exercises such as diaphragm or deep breathing, muscle relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga and meditation are useful in decreasing physiological arousal associated with anger and aggression.”
Can freely expressing aggression backfire?
Here’s an inconvenient truth: smashing a room full of thrift-store TV screens isn’t the emotional palate cleanser social media makes it out to be. Some psychologists argue it can do the opposite. For some people, rage rooms can actually amplify stress and anger for some people. Several psychologists warn that these sessions may reinforce the wrong kind of coping, teaching your brain that whenever big feelings show up, aggression is a permissible shortcut. Physically acting out anger can intertwine feeling mad with behaving aggressively. You don’t want to reinforce a habit loop that doesn’t work outside the context of a padded room.
The therapeutic value of a good scream
Screaming, an alternate to rage rooms, is having its day as well. To scream into the void offers the perverse thrill of no-consequence venting, but can also amplify a palpable despair. Several cities now publish guides to the best screaming spots (looking at you Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, Denver, even Grand Rapids). In 2024, Backpacker ran a listicle “6 Great Voids to Scream into this Election Season.”
Pop culture has jumped on board, too: Olivia Rodrigo conducts stadium-size scream-alongs, Florence + the Machine titled an album after the impulse, called “Everybody Scream,” and college students from Maine to Columbia University have gathered for cathartic collective roars. There are scream clubs, spontaneous sidewalk scream-ups and of course the internet’s contribution: screamintothevoid.com, where whatever you type gets swallowed by a digital vortex and replaced with a chipper “Glad nobody read that!”
Screaming often gets grouped with rage rooms as a “release,” but the scream itself doesn’t regulate anger. The real relief usually comes afterward, when your breathing slows down. If screaming works for you once in a while, go for it, but you might want to dig deeper into where the scream is originating from with the support of a therapist.
What to expect from a rage room
If you’re going for entertainment, rage rooms deliver. They’re novel, satisfyingly loud and burn ample primal energy. Think of them as a high-intensity activity, like paintball or go-karting, not a therapeutic intervention. They don’t address the root of anger nor build skills that help you cope better in everyday life.
Better ways to handle stress
For genuine emotional regulation, de-escalating strategies are far more effective than those that spike adrenaline:
- Breathwork with longer exhales
- Walking or gentle movement
- Grounding or mindfulness practices
- Consistent sleep habits (the unsung hero of mood regulation)
- Balanced nutrition to stabilize energy levels
- Adaptogens like ashwagandha, rhodiola or tulsi (holy basil)
- Magnesium for muscle relaxation and nervous-system support
- Calming teas such as chamomile, lemon balm or passionflower
Know before you go
If you still want to check out a rage room, go in informed. Rage rooms are loud, messy and surprisingly physical. Wear clothes you don’t mind sweating in, and expect that protective gear is required (and provided). Most facilities require closed-toe shoes, a signed waiver and adherence to their equipment rules. You typically can’t bring your own items to destroy.
Set your expectations that this is a high-energy outing, not emotional processing. Plan something calming afterward, such as a walk, a meal or anything that helps your body settle back down. And if you have high blood pressure, joint issues or sensitive hearing, consider whether the intensity is right for you.
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