Can breaking things really help relieve anger and stress?

Rage rooms are becoming a familiar trend in the United Kingdom. They offer visitors a place where they can vent their anger by smashing old electronics, crockery and discarded furniture.

The concept, which began in Japan in 2008, has now spread widely, and British operators now run sites from Brighton up to Birmingham, advertising the sessions as a way to ease stress.

At Smash It Rage Rooms in south-east London, a half-hour solo session costs £50. It describes each swing of a bat as “a cathartic release … a burst of pure, primal joy.”

Co-founder Amelia Smewing said that interest has increased far beyond what they expected. “We’re full most days,” she said, adding that she and her husband originally explored the idea while seeking support for their son, who was dealing with PTSD.

Urban Xtreme Ltd says its own Rage Room has also seen steady growth. Operations director Rob Clark explained that visitors range from younger thrill-seekers to friendship groups marking life changes, such as break-ups. He said others come looking for a “healthy outlet” to cope with pressure or mental health struggles. 

According to Clark, many customers arrive carrying heavy personal stress. “The feedback is always positive,” he said.

“It gives them a safe way to release anger,” adding that local youth homes bring teenagers regularly and some therapists recommend the sessions when talking therapy alone is not helping.

Some experts, however, question the long-term value of such spaces.

Dr Ryan Martin, a psychologist who has written extensively about anger, warned that relying on catharsis can keep people feeling angry longer. “It feels good, so people think it’s good for them,” he said. Prof Brad Bushman of Ohio State University echoed this concern, saying that practising anger in these rooms may encourage aggressive behaviour outside them.