Can An Anger Room (Rage Room) Help You Cope With Strong Emotions?

Anger rooms are often marketed as an outlet for anger and a way to de-stress, but do they really work? Understanding what the research says about the effectiveness of these spaces may help you choose the most constructive anger management option for you. For support in processing strong emotions, consider working with an in-person or online therapist.

What is an anger room?

What typically happens during a rage room session

When you arrive at a rage room, you’ll usually be asked by the staff to choose the duration of your destruction session, pay for it, and then sign a waiver. In busier areas, note that you may need a reservation or appointment. The cost of rage room packages can depend on your location, the length of the session, the number of people in your party, and any add-ons, like extra or specialty items to break.

Next, you’ll put on your safety gear, which is typically required. Rage rooms often offer items like the following so you can be equipped to stay safe during your session:

• A full protective suit
• Gloves
• A helmet
• A face shield
• Safety goggles
• Hearing protection

The staff will then show you to your room, explain the rules, and answer any questions you may have. Once your time starts, you can throw items or use other objects to smash and break them. Breakable items provided may include glass bottles, plates, and electronics, such as an old printer, computer, or TV. When time is up on your rage room smash session, an employee will notify you.

Similar experiences to rage rooms

Some rage rooms also offer other activities that people may find enjoyable or cathartic, or you might find these activities at a separate establishment. For example, axe throwing can be similar in that it involves using physical force to do something that would typically be considered destructive in another environment. 

Another example is splatter paint rooms, where you dress in full-coverage gear and then spray, throw, or blast brightly colored paint at the walls in different ways. This activity may allow you to express yourself and have fun without worrying about the mess like you would if you did it in your own house.

Anger room safety and rules

Rage rooms usually have a set of rules that all customers must follow in order to help them stay safe during their experience. The exact rules may vary depending on the rage room, but some common ones include:

• You typically must be at least 18, and children under this age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
• You’ll usually be required to sign a waiver acknowledging that you heard and will follow the safety instructions and that you accept the risks of participating
• You must wear the provided safety gear at all times
• You’re not allowed to damage your surroundings (walls, door, etc.)
• If you’re permitted to bring your own items to smash, they must often meet certain criteria (no light bulbs, nothing hazardous, no oversized items or containers, etc.)

What to wear and how to prepare for a rage room

Many people wonder what to wear to a rage room, and the answer is usually closed-toed shoes, pants, and a long-sleeved shirt. The rest of the gear you’ll need is usually provided by the establishment. 

Some people also find it helpful to prepare physically and emotionally before they enter an anger room.

• Physically, doing some basic stretches beforehand may help you warm up your muscles to avoid injury and soreness.
• Emotionally, you might get in touch with your own feelings and understand what you want to get from the experience before you start. If you have recently experienced trauma or are living with moderate to severe mental health challenges, a rage room might bring up challenging feelings or symptoms. Choosing a different activity or speaking with your therapist about it first may be advisable in this case.

Who goes to rage rooms and why?

Most individuals go to rage rooms to enjoy a fun, unique experience. People often attend as part of a date night or an evening with friends, and birthday parties and group events at rage rooms are common as well. 

Some people may also use time in a rage room to de-stress by having a physical outlet for nervous energy or frustration. Destructive activity in anger rooms might offer a sense of emotional release in some cases.

Is a rage room healthy or helpful for anger?

In one article, experts theorize that the increasing popularity of rage rooms suggests that more people are looking for ways to externalize their feelings rather than bottling them up or using unhealthy coping mechanisms. Externalizing your feelings may sometimes be helpful. However, researchers have not yet found any evidence to suggest that expressing anger as aggression is constructive.

Research suggests that activities which increase arousal, such as venting, punching a pillow, going for a run, or smashing items in a rage room, do not effectively decrease anger. In reality, these activities may actually create or reinforce an unhelpful association between anger, aggressive behavior, and violence. Instead, researchers who study this subject say that activities which decrease arousal, such as meditation or deep breathing, can be more effective for moving through strong feelings of anger.

Anger rooms may not be the most effective option for working through feelings of rage. Instead, they can be best if you use them as a fun or interesting experience and meet with a therapist for support with managing strong emotions.

Potential downsides of rage rooms

Rage rooms can be a way to get some exercise, try something new, or bond with friends or family. However, there are some potential downsides.

First, as with any physical activity, there's the potential for physical injury. While rage rooms typically require that you wear safety gear to protect yourself from pieces of broken items, it can still be possible to strain your muscles or sustain another type of injury there.

Also, as mentioned, rage rooms might increase aggression. The act of smashing things may also bring up other strong, difficult emotions—which could sometimes be distressing, especially if you’re living with a mental health condition or have experienced trauma. Since there’s currently no evidence that anger rooms can provide mental health benefits, it may be possible for some people to experience more harm than good emotionally when visiting one. Working with a therapist can often be a more effective way to manage your anger.

Healthier alternatives to rage rooms for managing anger

Anger can be a useful and important emotion, and feeling it is not inherently negative. Anger may help a person affect change or achieve their goals, and it’s generally considered a natural part of the human experience. However, strong anger that's not managed or channeled in a healthy way may lead to negative outcomes like suppression, aggression, or other challenges. 

Also, strong anger that’s difficult to control may sometimes represent a mental health condition, such as intermittent explosive disorder (IED). Like other mental health conditions, IED typically requires treatment to address.

Current research may not support the use of rage rooms for managing anger in a healthy way. However, there are many other strategies you can try to experience and process this emotion safely and constructively.

Name the emotion

In some cases, feelings of anger have more specific emotions underneath them, such as resentment, betrayal, or a sense of violation. Or, other emotions altogether, such as sadness, loneliness, disgust, fear, or anxiety, might be behind anger. 

Reflecting on what you feel and naming the specific emotion(s) may help you reduce distress in emotionally charged situations when you feel anger rising. This process may also help you better understand your feelings and needs.

Find a creative outlet

Finding a creative outlet—such as painting, writing, singing, acting, or something else—may allow you to fully experience and sort through strong emotions. Research also suggests that creative expression may help reduce stress and boost mood, which could be helpful when you’re experiencing feelings of anger.

Do something relaxing

Since activities like rage rooms can increase arousal, you might instead try an activity that decreases arousal to cope with your anger effectively. For example, you could consider:

• Spending time in a park or other green space
• Engaging in soft fascination
• Doing some yoga poses
• Doing a guided mindfulness meditation
• Trying some breathing exercises

Get professional help with anger management

Working with a therapist can be an effective way to learn more about your anger and find healthy ways to process it. Whether you’re experiencing IED, a trauma-related disorder, or are simply struggling to access, manage, express, or process your emotions, a therapist may help. They can offer a safe space for you to explore how you feel and why, and they can also provide treatment options and healthy coping mechanisms for managing feelings or symptoms.

Getting support through BetterHelp

While working with a therapist can be helpful, not everyone can commute to in-person therapy appointments each week. For people who are having trouble managing their anger, a commute may sometimes involve anger-inducing situations too, such as traffic. If you prefer to receive a therapist’s support from the comfort of home, consider online therapy.

Through a platform like BetterHelp, you can get the same quality support from a licensed therapist—but virtually, via phone, video, or live chat. You can also message your therapist any time outside of sessions and they’ll respond as soon as they can. 

Plus, BetterHelp offers additional tools like journaling prompts, habit trackers, group sessions, and more to further support your mental health journey. Online therapy also tends to be more affordable than in-person therapy, which may empower more people to find care that suits their current financial means.

Is online therapy effective?

Researchers have been studying online therapy’s effectiveness for years, and most findings suggest that it can often be an effective form of treatment. For example, consider a 2023 study which suggests that even a four-week online therapy intervention helped participants better manage their anger and aggression.