Why Is Venting Good For You?

Our emotions are

valuable sources of information

, alerting us that something is wrong in our environment and needs our attention. … Sometimes, just verbalizing what's bothering us to another person helps to clarify the situation and name the emotions involved.

Is venting actually healthy?

Research suggests that letting off steam, even in its most harmless forms, is not an effective way to control your anger. … While you may temporarily feel better, the act of venting can lead you to have

more difficulty

with your anger down the road.

Why venting out is important?

Generally, it's better to let things out than hold them in. And doing so feels almost akin to problem-solving—in the moment, at least. Venting your

frustrations alleviates tension and stress

. You almost always feel better—and “lighter”—after sharing some perceived threat, indignity, misfortune, or injustice.

Is venting counterproductive?

Research shows that

venting doesn't help you feel better about your problems

, and it can even make you feel worse over time. … Reach out to your spouse or a friend, she said, and release your feelings. You've probably heard that advice before, too, and even practiced it.

Is it bad to vent to friends?

While

it's fine to vent to friends and family on occasion

, going overboard can put a strain on your relationships, tire friends out, and make others feel overwhelmed. “If you want to get a sense of how your venting affects people, ask them,” Karen R.

Why do I feel bad after venting?

But it actually creates more stress “because it

keeps arousal levels high, aggressive thoughts active in memory

, and angry feelings alive,” Bushman said. “People say that venting feels good, but the good feeling doesn't last, and it only reinforces aggressive impulses,” Bushman told MyHealthNewsDaily.

Is venting unhealthy?

Still, all in all, Kross says

venting

is a good thing, helping us cope. If we can get past the letting off steam part, we can feel better in the long run and keep our relationships strong, too. “Venting serves some function,” he says. “It has benefits for the self in terms of satisfying our social and emotional needs.

Does venting help anxiety?

Venting frustrations (anxiety, anger or sorrow)

often provides cathartic release

. “The immediate feelings of relief derived from such letting go can hardly be overstated,” Seltzer said. He notes how self-expression can elicit much-needed comfort as well.

What can I do instead of venting?

• 11 things to do instead of venting at work. …
• Don't hit send. …
• Count to 10–or if you're really angry, to 100–in your head. …
• Look at pictures of others being loved or cared for. …
• Breathe deeply. …
• Listen to calming music. …
• Turn off your phone or computer. …
• Read a nonviolent book.

How do you stop someone from venting?

say something! Keep your tone measured and

fairly neutral

; while your friend probably should feel a little bit embarrassed by their behavior, aggressively shaming them isn't going to help. If they are feeling attacked and defensive, they aren't going to be able to really internalize what you're saying.

What is the difference between venting and complaining?

Whereas venting is an acknowledgement of YOUR emotion around a subject,

complaining is pretty passive

and it's usually never going to come to a resolution until this person stops doing whatever you're unable to handle. One is an expression of emotion that moves you forward or at least through.

Does venting make you angrier?

Why

venting will make you even angrier

Since the time of Freud, a wealth of research has been published debunking his theories of anger management. … Venting is essentially rehashing our anger and frustration, and thus it would make sense that ranting about something that made us angry would only make our anger worse.

What not to say when someone is venting?

1. Avoid the “it's no big deal” and/or “just don't give it any energy or thought” “brush it off,” responses: Sometimes you might feel someone venting is overacting. …
2. Ditch the “you can/you should, try this” responses: Don't talk. …
3. Let go of the “at least,” “it could be worse,” based responses:

How do you vent when you have no one to vent?

1. Try to write down your emotions as they come along.
2. Express your feelings if possible. Do not keep them bottled up.
3. Have a safe place and good people to vent whenever you can. …
4. Learn to identify any triggers that make you want to vent.

How do you respond when someone is venting?

Let them vent their feelings and when they finish, pick

any of their words that had a lot of emotion attached

. These can be words such as “Never,” “Screwed up,” or any other words spoken with high inflection. Then reply with, “Say more about “never” (or “screwed up,” etc.) That will help them drain even more.

Is venting attention seeking?

Far from being just a way of seeking attention, venting on social media is a way of reaching out across the void and forging a support network.