People tend to think that one way to release their anger is by punching a pillow, a punching bag, or taking it out in some other way on an object. The belief is that this kind of behavior is cathartic, and that it will help a person to empty themselves of anger. Actually, the opposite occurs. Physical aggression ratchets a situation up rather than serving as a release. Watch any group of kids who play aggressively. You'll notice that the longer they play the more aggressive they become.
If you resort to aggressive behavior in response to anger-provoking situations, you are reinforcing an association between anger and aggression. Physical venting may feel good in the short term, but in the long run it doesn't help you to manage the anger-provoking situation, and can cause it to become worse, because your anger escalates.
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