10 Healthy Ways To Vent Frustration

Frustration is synonymous with anger and rage, a common emotion we have all felt at one point in our lives, and for some, it is a daily battle to overcome the feelings that come with it.

Venting frustration is essential because bottling it up is like having a pressure cooker without a release valve. It is bound to explode at any time. And no one likes the aftermath of an explosion.

It is, therefore, essential to know healthy ways to vent frustration as how we vent our frustration affects our relationships, mental health, and general quality of life. There are some effective tips you can try if you have trouble properly venting out your frustration. This blog post will reveal to you ten healthy ways to vent frustration.

10 Healthy Ways To Vent Frustration

Dealing with frustrating circumstances can be burdensome for anyone, and that’s why we often vent it. However, here are 10 healthy ways to vent frustration:

1. Meditation

Mindfulness and meditation helps you become aware of your emotions, like anger. It enables you to identify things in your life that are constantly frustrating you.

Also, it enables you to find better ways to manage these situations. It opens a pathway to rationally thinking out ways to solve these problems instead of remaining frustrated.

2. Writing

Writing is undoubtedly one of the healthy ways to vent frustration at any time.

Whenever you’re frustrated, writing will help you to organize thoughts, control your reactions and improve your mood by helping you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns.

The process of writing may enable you to learn to better regulate your emotions and clear the overwhelm of information in your head.

In addition, writing pours out what is going on inside. And once you’ve written everything out, some things will still stand out, and your frustration might lessen. It is indeed a great way to express frustration.

3. Crying

Whenever you feel deeply sad, exasperated, or discouraged, crying can help you vent your emotions.

According to medical research, crying causes the release of oxytocin and prolactin, which are two chemicals that can reduce your heart rate and otherwise calm you down after a stressful situation.

Whether you have a shoulder to cry on or have to cry by yourself, allowing yourself the space to cry can do the trick by freeing up the pent-up frustration that is too much to contain. 

4. Exercise 

Taking a walk, running a few miles, and going to the gym to lift weights are good ways to vent frustration. The key is to focus on a positive outcome and to channel all the frustration into achieving a goal.

You could try achieving a new personal record or just completing your sets. Do not envision yourself taking revenge on the object of your frustration.  

5. Talk to a therapist or a neutral person

Sometimes our frustrations are just too much to deal with on our own. Sometimes the best thing to do at this point is to unburden ourselves on a friend or a therapist. Talking is an excellent way to vent frustration as it allows you to analyze and rethink the whole thing repeatedly.

Most times, you find there was no reason to get frustrated. The therapist or friend will also help you solve the problem which caused the frustration in the first place. It is essential to talk to a friend who won’t be too judgmental, as that might only escalate the problem. Talking to someone is one of the healthy ways to deal with uncomfortable emotions.

6. Take deep breaths

Yes, this age-old advice works. Researchers say it is a relaxation technique and a quick and effective way to dissipate anger. Pausing to take deep breaths and counting to ten helps you calm down and reevaluate the situation and how you want to respond. This way, you can avoid saying things you regret and lashing out. 

7. Be proactive

It helps to vent frustration if you can resolve the issue causing your distress, especially if it is a recurring problem.

When you get frustrated, you take some time to calm down, and once you calm down, you try solving the problem. It might be a coworker who constantly interrupts you when you start talking. Calm yourself down, and talk to them about it.

8. Remove yourself from the situation 

Sometimes the quickest way to calm down or avoid lashing out of frustration is to simply walk away from the situation.

Remove yourself from the situation and calm down. Doing this helps you rethink the whole situation and prevents you from acting in a way you would later regret. It is one of the best ways to respond to difficult emotions.

9. Vent anonymously on an app

Sometimes, it’s difficult to share our frustrations with friends or family members because we don’t want to burden them or we’re afraid of being judged. In those cases, it can be helpful to vent anonymously on an app like Lyf.

Lyf is a mental health app that allows users to share their thoughts and feelings with a supportive community. You can also vent on other anonymous social media platforms.

Doing so can help you get your frustrations off your chest without fear of judgment or reprisal.

10. Scream into a pillow

Sometimes, we just need to let out a primal scream to release our frustration. However, if you’re in a public place or don’t want to disturb others, screaming into a pillow can be a helpful alternative. Muffling the sound with a pillow will ensure that you release your frustration without causing a disturbance.

11. Listen to calming music

This one of the best healthy ways to vent frustration. Music has a powerful effect on our emotions. Listening to calming music or even listening to podcasts can help us relax and release our frustration.

Choose music that you find soothing and calming. Classical music, nature sounds, and meditation music are all good options. By listening to calming music, you can redirect your focus away from your frustration and towards something more positive.

12. Recite a calming mantra

A calming mantra is a phrase or word that you repeat to yourself to help you feel calm and centered. Choose a mantra that resonates with you and that you find comforting.

Examples of calming mantras include “peace”, “serenity”, and “I am calm and in control”. The reason why reciting a calming mantra is important when dealing with frustrating situations is because it can help you feel more grounded and in control of your emotions.

Conclusion

Frustration is an emotion we cannot eradicate from our lives entirely, as there are many frustrating situations in our everyday lives. However, the key is handling this emotion very effectively in ways that don’t reduce our quality of life. Frustration is entirely normal. How we choose to vent is what matters. Nonetheless, following these healthy ways to vent frustration can help you tremendously.