Why venting makes anger worse – and what actually helps

Why venting makes anger worse – and what actually helps

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When anger flares up, many of us turn to venting—whether it is ranting to a friend, punching a pillow, or even visiting a “rage room” to smash objects. The idea is that expressing anger will help release it, much like letting steam escape from a pressure cooker. But according to new research, that metaphor is misleading. A 2024 meta-analysis from Ohio State University reviewed 154 studies on anger and found li