Is venting good for your health?

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发泄——释放负面的、被压抑的情绪——会让人感觉很好. But is it actually good for you? 还是沉湎于消极的想法和感受弊大于利?

Experts say that depends on a number of factors, 包括谁是发泄的对象, 一个人多久做一次，他们收到什么类型的反馈.

"By and large, we do need to get our negative emotions out," said Rachel Millstein, 她是波士顿马萨诸塞州总医院行为医学项目和生活方式医学诊所的心理学家. “然而，我们的工作方式决定了它是健康还是不健康，是有效还是无效."

Why vent

Personal relationships, work, 经济和歧视只是日常压力的一部分，可能会激发人们发泄的需求. Research shows 这种压力会增加患心血管疾病的风险, 而释放或管理压力可以改善身心健康, lowering that risk. 拥有强大的社会支持网络与更好的心理健康有关.

向这个圈子里的人发泄是减少日常压力源影响的一种方法, said Millstein, 同时也是哈佛医学院精神病学的助理教授. "Calling a friend and letting it out can be helpful. 它帮助我们感觉与我们的社会支持网络相连, 哪一个是生活满意度和整体幸福感的重要决定因素."

Choose your audience wisely

与支持你感受的人交谈可能会有所帮助, even if that person offers a different perspective, she said.

但是向一个无视你感受的人发泄可能是有害的, said Jonathan Shaffer, 她是丹佛科罗拉多大学临床健康心理学副教授. “分享却得不到对方的回应是无效的. 它可能会让你觉得自己没有价值或不可爱."

如果听者放大了负面情绪，发泄也可能适得其反，“谈话就会螺旋式上升”. Then you can pull each other down," Millstein said.

另一个负面后果是，如果听者厌倦了倾听. "If you vent over and over again, this person might not want to be present, and this can fray a social connection," she said.

Shaffer说，对于主要的压力源，与治疗师交谈可能会更有帮助.

Venting without an audience

If speaking feelings aloud to someone else feels unsafe, another alternative is to write them down, Shaffer said.

Studies have found numerous health benefits to expressive writing, the practice of writing down feelings on a daily basis. 它已被证明有助于从创伤经历中愈合，并有助于降低血压, boost the immune system, improve sleep and lessen depression and pain.

Don't forget the positive

Whether releasing feelings on paper or in person, Shaffer suggests finding ways to focus on the positive, as well as the negative. For example, 结束一次发泄，把注意力集中在自己感激的事情上，可以帮助恢复积极的情绪, he said, as can mindfulness practices.

"Make a plan for some type of relaxation, such as deep breathing or meditation afterwards," he suggested.

Other ways to relieve stress

米尔斯坦说，锻炼还可以缓解压力，释放负面情绪.

“别忘了，幽默也是一种很好的应对策略，”她说. 向一个有幽默感的朋友发泄可能会有双倍的帮助, 因为“有时候其他人可以帮助我们看到事情有趣的一面."