Can Writing Down Thoughts And Shredding Paper Help You Process Anger? A Study Found This...

The study found that dispelling of anger through the disposal of an object -- in this case, a piece of paper carrying negative thoughts -- can be done by 'recognising that the physical entity has been diminished', which thereby leads to the anger also disappearing.

People process their emotions in varied ways. Some like to yell and cry, others go silent and detach from their feelings. Yet, it is advisable that for people who have temper issues, it is important to process their emotions fully -- as opposed to internalising them -- and find an outlet. Expressing strong emotions like anger can enable one to maintain their equilibrium. It is also good for their mental, emotional and physical health. A new study has found that managing your anger could be a simple exercise that involves writing down your thoughts in a piece of paper and then shredding or crumpling it. While you may find this bizarre, research states that it is actually cathartic. Read on to find out more.

What Research Has Found

According to the findings of the research -- published earlier this month inNature's Scientific Reports -- researchers in Japan have concluded that writing down thoughts and feelings on a piece of paper after a negative or nasty episode, and then shredding or crushing it and throwing it away in a trash can is an effective way to deal with anger. Citing the study, a People report mentioned that the specific act of disposing of the paper, rather than just writing down feelings, ended up eliminating anger in the study participants. The study's authors Yuta Kanaya and Nobuyuki Kawai have reportedly said, "This study shows that physical disposal of a piece of paper containing one's written thoughts on the cause of a provocative event neutralises anger, while holding the paper did not."

How The Study Was Conducted

During the study, as many as 57 students from a local university were asked to write 'brief opinions' about a social problem affecting them -- like smoking in public, for instance. To rile them up, their responses and thoughts were deliberately belittled with low evaluations and insulting comments. This provoked them and they further wrote their 'angry thoughts' about the negative feedback. Interestingly, while one set of participants 'disposed of their paper in either the trash can or the shredder', another group kept the paper carrying their negative thoughts in a file or a plastic box.

The Finding

All the participants demonstrated an 'increased subjective rating of anger' in response to the negative feedback that they had received, but those who discarded their paper returned to their 'baseline state'. On the contrary, those who 'retained' their paper experienced 'only a small reduction in their overall anger'. The researchers concluded, "The meaning (interpretation) of disposal plays a critical role. These results are consistent with other studies which showed that the meaning of disposal was critical for determining its impact, not the action itself."

What Does It Mean?

The authors associated with the study noted that the results may be connected to the phenomenon of 'backward magical contagion'. "The phenomenon of 'magical contagion' or 'celebrity contagion' refers to the belief that the 'essence' of an individual can be transferred to their possessions. This backward magical contagion operates in a reversed process, where manipulating an object associated with a person is thought to impact the individuals themselves," they were quoted as saying.

It means that dispelling of anger through the disposal of an object -- in this case, a piece of paper carrying negative thoughts -- can be done by 'recognising that the physical entity has been diminished', which thereby leads to the anger also disappearing.

Seeking support

It should be noted that there are support groups, too, who can help individuals deal with temper issues. Also, one can seek the help of a professional in assessing and tackling destructive thoughts and feelings, which often end up stressing a person and causing them a great deal of mental and physical pain and distress.