Does catharsis serve as an effective coping mechanism?

Question

e.g., Does punching a pillow help a person get over his anger? Or does punching a pillow make a person even angrier?

Answer 1

Depends on the person and atmosphere.....

Meaning, that Yes, it can help them get over the angry because they now know that their behavior although relieving at that time is now foolish. and No, because punching the pillow helped nothing besides making their arm sore and a pillow which is too soft.

Everyone copes with things differently meaning, if laughing was a defense mechanism does it work? It may work at that time but ultimately the feelings which were actually felt were being hidden behind the laughter (or anger).

Good Luck

Answer 2

In my experience catharsis is an effective way to release tensions and help people to change their way of feeling and behaving.

I have participated in groups where punching pillows worked very well:

co-counseling, New Identity Process (Casriel) , Hoffman Process.

These are group in which participants learn about the value of emotional discharge and how to understand and handle it so they can let go of their blocks and inhibitions gradually, re-experience situations from their past and change rigid behavior.

Prof. Carol Tavris says punching a pillow is counterproductive, because research shows that people get even angrier afterwards and don't feel relieve.

This kind of research is based on experiments with students, who had to pound pillows WITHOUT the above mentioned preparation and then they felt more tense than before.The claim is: catharsis has been proven not to work.

To me this is an unscientific approach for it is ignoring the preparation and learning process which happens in cathartic therapy groups.

In a culture, that allows emotional expression as normal and human,

laughing, crying and venting does provide release.

In a culture, that frowns upon expression ("boys don't cry") people are inhibited or even blocked, so they do not give in to their feelings and do not get the release it can provide.

My opinion: Catharsis works to change feelings and behavior, when handled well.

Another opinion: Catharsis is not the via regina nor the only way to change, e.g. energy psychology is effective without catharsis: by tapping meridian points.