Are There Health Benefits To Screaming?

What are your initial reactions to hearing a scream? Do you panic, become startled, or rush to see what's going on? Do you wonder if something bad could be happening? Or do you wonder if something good could be happening? Screaming is a vocal release that could imply positive or negative emotions. People usually raise their voices because something scared or excited them. Interestingly, you may want to do this more often because screaming could be good for your health, according to WebMD.

When we yell at the top of our lungs, our bodies and emotional health are instantly affected. As it turns out, letting out a scream may actually help to improve your mood. That's because some people feel screaming is cathartic when they're dealing with stressful issues (per Yoga Journal). And it's not just a sense of relief some may feel. It may even make you feel more confident. For example, Entrepreneur reports that by saying affirmations or incantations out loud and loudly, you're engaging your nervous system and harnessing all your focus into the emotions you're trying to cultivate.

In the past, some therapists have utilized a form of therapy called primal scream therapy (via Healthline). This form of psychotherapy has been around since the 1960s and involves the patient yelling out their frustrations while sitting on the couch instead of talking it out, reports Vice.

Dr. Arthur Janov, a U.S. psychotherapist, developed primal scream therapy after he wrote the book, "The Primal Scream" (per The New York Times). He started primal scream therapy as a way for the patient to release repressed emotions. By means of this treatment, Janov was showing that all of these painful emotions often stem from childhood trauma. 

Evona L. Smith, a family nurse practitioner and doctor of nursing in Louisiana, told Healthline, "The basic premise behind scream therapy is the release of endorphins, a chemical released by the body which reduces stress." However, even though the body's endorphins may cause the body to feel good in the moment, it can also be a strenuous way of accomplishing those good feelings.