3 min readNew DelhiJul 17, 2020 08:50 PM IST
First published on: Jul 17, 2020 at 08:50 PM IST
Iceland has launched a campaign to encourage people to let out their pent-up emotions in the country’s wilderness. (Source: iceland/Instagram)
Tourists visiting Iceland will not only be enjoying the picturesque landscape but now they will be encouraged to scream out all of their frustrations into the wild.
A new campaign launched by an offshoot of the country’s tourism board called Inspired by Iceland is inviting participants to record themselves screaming while looking at the country’s untamed views, including beaches, waterfalls and lakes.
“You’ve been through a lot this year and it looks like you need the perfect place to let your frustrations out…Record your scream and we’ll release it in Iceland’s beautiful, wide-open spaces. And when you’re ready, come let it out for real. You’ll feel better, we promise,” reads the official website of lookslikeyouneediceland.com.
How does screaming help?
The campaign has also enlisted the help of therapist and mental health consultant Zoe Aston. Explaining how screaming helps, she writes, “Screaming as a therapeutic tool was developed in the 1970s as a way to release pent-up emotion. What we don’t realise is that the psychological response to wanting to scream lights up a part of our brains called the amygdala. The amygdala activates when we are under threat, something we have all experienced in the past few months.”
She adds, “Part of the beneficial effect of screaming comes from being able to make a loud noise into a wide, open, undisturbed space…allows your amygdala to release the stress stored there and move forward.”
Read| Coronavirus and mental health: Things people suffering from anxiety should know
How to let out pent-up emotions
Screaming deliberately can be difficult. So, how do you let it out? Here’s what Aston recommends, as mentioned on the website:
* Firstly, you need to identify what your scream will be — some use volume, some use words while others use breath.
* Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Add a slight bend to your knees and relax your shoulders. Follow your instinct and push out some of the pent-up emotions. Using your arms might be helpful.
* Scream from your gut. If it helps, put your hands on your belly and take a few deep breaths before beginning.
Iceland has launched a campaign to encourage people to let out their pent-up emotions in the country’s wilderness. (Source: iceland/Instagram)
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