WRITE AND BIN
Get it out of your hands
In a Nagoya University study, insulted volunteers wrote down their reaction. Those who binned or shredded the paper saw their anger fall back to where it started.
See the studyWHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS
Scribble it,
then bin it.
Anger is normal. Feeding it is optional.
COOL DOWN don't blow off steam
154 studies Studies in the 2024 review
- Slow the body first
- Put it on paper
- Then throw it away
- Small acts, cooler heads
The old advice to let it all out does not hold up. Research points the other way: cool the body down, get the thought out of your head and onto paper, then let it go.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Cool down,
don't let rip.
Three ideas with research behind them.
None needs more than a pencil and a minute.
BREATHE
Turn the heat down
A review of 154 studies found that calming activities such as deep breathing, relaxation and slow yoga reduced anger. Venting did not.
Compare reactions
DRAW IT
Picture the silly version
The American Psychological Association suggests picturing the name you want to call someone literally, and drawing it if you can, to take the edge off.
Try it todayGeneral information only, not medical advice. For advice about your own health, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified health professional.
WHAT HELPS IN THE MOMENT
You're fuming.
Now what?
Pick a common reaction to see what research says it does to anger. The bar shows how well the evidence supports it as a way to calm down.
Based on a 2024 review of 154 studies (Ohio State University) and a 2024 experiment from Nagoya University. General information, not personal advice.
FOUR THINGS TO TRY
A pencil,
a bin, a breath.
These cost nothing and fit into a minute or two. They are about calming the body and getting the thought out of your head, not bottling it up.
Count to 10 and breathe
The NHS suggests giving yourself time to think before reacting: count to 10 and breathe slowly.
Scribble what set you off
Write or draw what triggered you and what you thought, as fast and messily as you like.
Bin it or shred it
Throw the paper away rather than filing it. In the Nagoya study, keeping it barely helped.
Talk to someone outside it
The NHS suggests talking to someone not connected to the situation, such as a friend or a GP.
TWO STUDIES WORTH KNOWING
Lower the heat,
lose the note.
One large review of calming versus venting,
one small experiment with paper and a bin.
154 studies
Studies in the 2024 review
With 10,189 participants. Activities that lowered arousal reduced anger; activities that raised it generally did not, and jogging was the most likely to make it worse.
CALM VS VENT · OHIO STATE
96 people
Adults in the final analysis
Across two experiments (50 and 46 people). After an insult, those who binned or shredded their written reaction were back to baseline; those who kept it were not.
PAPER AND BIN · NAGOYA
The Nagoya study is small and was run in a lab with a staged insult, so treat it as a promising idea rather than a proven treatment. The review pooled many kinds of studies, from labs to field settings.
WHEN IT IS MORE THAN A BAD DAY
Most people get angry.
Some need support.
The APA calls anger a completely normal, usually healthy emotion. It becomes a problem when it is out of control and starts to harm work, relationships or quality of life.
The NHS says to see a GP if you are struggling to cope with anger, if self-help is not working, or if you are acting in an abusive or violent way. It also advises against using alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve anger.
Questions
Questions people ask
Does venting help get anger out?
Research says no. A 2024 review of 154 studies found no evidence that blowing off steam reduces anger, and the APA says letting it rip actually escalates anger and aggression.
Is exercise good for anger?
It depends on the kind. In the 2024 review, jogging was the activity most likely to increase anger, while slow yoga, ball games and PE classes had a calming effect. The NHS still lists exercise as a way to relax and reduce stress.
Does writing down my anger really work?
In two small Nagoya University experiments, writing your reaction and then binning or shredding the paper brought anger back to baseline. Keeping the paper helped much less.
Why would drawing help?
The APA suggests that when you think of an insulting name for someone, you picture it literally and draw it if you can. Silly humour can give you a more balanced view, as long as it is not sarcastic.
When should I get help with anger?
The NHS says to see a GP if you are struggling to cope, if things you try are not working, or if you are acting in an abusive or violent way. In a crisis, Samaritans can be reached on 116 123.
Where the facts come from
Updated
- NHS: Get help with anger
- American Psychological Association: Control anger before it controls you
- Ohio State News: Breathe, don't vent: turning down the heat is key to managing anger
- Nagoya University: Writing down your feelings on paper then getting rid of it reduces anger
- Kanaya and Kawai (2024), Anger is eliminated with the disposal of a paper written because of provocation, Scientific Reports