Rage rooms a smashing way to relieve stress in Russia

Moscow, Russia – Stress is a fact of life for many of us. Some medicate or meditate to ease the anxiety.

In Russia, however, some let off steam in a different way.

“Rage rooms” allow people feeling angry to smash away their troubles.

“You do it for the sake of not thinking about anything. It’s actually to get rid of those things that made you feel tense,” said Kryll, who arrived at a Moscow “rage room” after searching for ways to eliminate stress online.

He took out his rage alongside his wife, Katya.

During the sessions, which are more popular among women, participants wear a mask.

“The mask actually does help to forget what kind of beast you are. It’s quite great. I feel better. I feel more at ease, more relaxed,” said Katya.

Alexey Barkinsky, who cofounded the “rage room” business, said: “It’s more of a playground for your inner child … to break stuff, to scream out loud, to paint the walls. It’s just a safe place to be a bad guy without the risks of being arrested.”

Valeria Fedoryak, a psychologist, agreed that the concept was fun rather than therapeutic. 

“I’d be against attaching any psychological benefit to it. It’s more of entertainment,” she said. “The concept of this room totally equates aggression with destruction. But actually, that’s not true. It’s important that it doesn’t become the only way to channel aggression.”

Follow Natasha Ghoneim on Twitter: @natashaghoneim