Mental health benefits of rage rooms
Brits are turning to rage rooms to vent their frustrations and improve their mental health, with one centre revealing the majority of customers are women.
Since the first launched in 2008, dozens of the activity centres, which see people pay to smash stuff up, have opened up across the UK.
Gemma Whiddett, 40, has worked at Rage Rooms in Norwich for two and a half years and says that while they have always been popular with stag dos most of her current customers are women, many on hen dos or divorce parties.
Others she says use the rooms as a form of therapy.
"We have therapists recommending us," she explains.
"I think men have outlets - they can play football, golf, or go to the pub.
"Women don't always have an aggressive outlet. Talking is all well and good but sometimes you just need to get it out."
Whiddett says that thought some people will come with a group, others book a single slot by themselves.
"We see women getting divorced and they’ll bring their friends in - they'll smash things up and bitch about their partners," she continues.
"We had a couple of people bring in plates and they had written on them what annoyed them, then they took the plates into the room to smash."
For £50 per person or £120 for four, customers have an hour at Rage Rooms Norwich to lash out at crockery and electronic devices with scaffolding poles.
Attendees wear protective gear and are kitted out in overalls, balaclavas and gloves with knuckle protectors.
"You hear so many stories and people are always so happy when they leave," Whiddett continues.
"I had a lady come in and she didn't tell us what she was going through but she smashed a few bits and then sat on the floor and cried.
"My heart broke for her, but she came out smiling so whatever she went through that day she came out feeling better."
According to Whiddett people breaking down in tears is a regular occurrence following a session in the rage room.
"Some people will tell you their life story and others want to be left to their own devices," she continues.
The Norwich-based company moved to a bigger site in August last year and have had their mobile rage room featured on the ITV2 show, CALM: Retreat Yourself.
It was used by celebrities like TV personality, Jake Quickenden, and Love Island star, Kaz Kamwi.
"I can see it growing," Whiddett continues. "We are ten times busier than we were when we first opened and we get a lot of returning customers.
"There's a lot of stressed out people at the moment," she adds.
"Whether it's the cost of living crisis or just the stress of surviving, people need to find a way of letting it out."
What are rage rooms?
Rage rooms originated in Japan and have grown in popularity, becoming common in the United States and now across the UK.
"Rage rooms are specifically designed for people to release pent-up anger and frustration by breaking objects in a controlled environment," explains Dr Becky Spelman, psychologist and founder at Private Therapy Clinic.
According to Dr Elena Touroni, consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic rage rooms can serve as a valuable outlet for expressing anger, which is a normal and healthy part of our emotional spectrum.
"Anger tends to be a response to feeling wronged or frustrated, and expressing it is key to emotional release," she explains.
"The word emotion itself comes from the Latin 'emotere' which literally means 'energy in motion'. Emotions need to be actively felt and experienced, given the space to move and eventually pass through. Rage rooms provide a controlled environment where people can physically express their anger and frustration in a way that is safe and contained."
Mental health benefits of rage rooms
They are becoming increasingly popular and some potential mental health and wellbeing benefits include:
1. Social connection
According to Dr Spelman visiting a rage room can be a good bonding experience with friends or loved ones!
2. Stress relief
Dr Spelman says certain physical activities, such as smashing objects, can help us to release stress and tension, allowing us to let go of negative emotions.
3. Emotional regulation
When we channel our anger in a safe environment Dr Spelman says we can learn to manage and regulate our emotions in a healthy way.
4. Self-awareness
After smashing up a room, you can pause to reflect on the underlying causes of any anger, and possible triggers.
"This self-reflection can help us to gain a greater understanding of ourselves, and we can work on any issues that might need to be resolved," Dr Spelman adds.
5. Empowerment and confidence
Rage rooms can make people feel confident and empowered if they are able to successfully release their anger.
Although there can be many benefits to the use of rage rooms for our wellbeing, it's worth noting that they may not be a quick-fix solution to certain mental health conditions.
"Although rage rooms are a fun way to release anger, they might not be for everyone," Dr Spelman explains. "I would recommend that you seek professional guidance if you have any specific mental health conditions, such as anger management issues or aggression problems."
Additional reporting SWNS.
Mental health: Read more
Experts reveal why office workers need to drastically cut down their screen time (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)
'Half of Gen-Z have been catfished': Should dating apps have mandatory verifications? (Yahoo Life UK, 7-min read)
10 expert-approved ways to sleep better, as millions of adults complain of being 'tired all the time' (Yahoo Life UK, 10-min read)
