Do you ever get bad news and just want to go shoot something to feel better?

[newfalguy101]

I did.

A couple of days after my daughter was killed in an auto accident, I went out.....alone, just me, myself, my SKS and 100ish rounds of ammo.

I could feel the stress leaving my body with each scream along with each shot.

For the 20 or so minutes I was shooting I felt in control of SOMETHING finally.

As long as you go KNOWING its merely a very short term form of relief, go for it.

The comfort I find with my church family was, and still is more permanent, and through Jesus, more complete...

 

[Thermactor]

To answer the original poster's question... NO. I've never gotten stress relief by shooting anything. I find the thought completely unnerving.

 

[MattShlock]

No, of course not.

 

[cslinger]

I absolutely shoot for stress relief. Not anger relief mind you. None of this I hate my boss or so and so etc so I will hang a target in effigy stuff. Just mind clearing shoot small holes, concentration or sometimes just the smell and noise bringing back good memories.

All that being said I am also very likely to find solace in The Lord or one of his angels sent to this earth, such as his angel Jack Daniels.

Just out of curiosity why would one find shooting to relieve stress un-nerving. No disrespect just curious. Again stress relief not anger relief. I don't shoot in anger. Imagined violence turns my stomach. I shoot for fun.

 

[CPLofMARINES]

A 4" S&W 29 does wonders.

 

[Magnuumpwr]

Bad news, no shooting. Feeling a little overwhelmed from work, heck yeah! The downside is it's like drugs. I started out with snuff cans of tanerite, now I am up to a pound to get the same results!! As to other answers, I will not make any assumptions about your individual choices.

 

[Romeo 33 Delta]

No ... if my concentration is clouded by issues and such, I don't shoot because at that point it's only turning money into noise. Soothing music is better therapy for me ... sometimes some good old rock n roll from 1950 - 1963 does the trick.

 

[Onward Allusion]

To each their own. I don't shoot to make myself feel better. I take a walk in the woods or do a bit of archery.

 

[firesky101]

I find that shooting is a form of mediation. It concentrates my thoughts onto one thing, and all the other thoughts leave my mind. It certainly helps me relieve stress and refocus my mind. I guess you could say I occasionally shoot to relieve anger/stress, but not out of anger/stress if that makes sense.

 

[horsemen61]

So today I went out and shot and I totally agree with the guys who said it helps because it did I went from being totally stressed to a clear focus as soon I as I set up to shoot just me my pistols and the target at 25 yards away and everything just fell away all I saw was that target and I had a blast it was probally the best trip I have ever had to the range.

 

[Mitlov]

Personally, I've never done it. I could see myself doing so if I was doing it to focus on something and clear my mind (single trap is great for this because it requires such complete focus to one simple thing). Kind of like what Thich Nhat Hanh calls "mindfulness meditation"...doing one simple task and using the entirety of your brain to focus on just that one task. But if I was going shooting after a bad day because I wanted to destroy something...if I caught myself thinking that, I hope I'd redirect the energy to something else, like weightlifting.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

No. I might take some time and do some practice or marksmanship shooting, but it is more a zen moment to leave all the frustration behind. I do not use firearms to let off steam.

 

[OilyPablo]

Target shooting for me is an excellent form of stress relief, but I rarely (never?) carry anger anywhere (it's just the way my mind is built) . But as the others have said, a nasty week of work is all forgotten at the range. Mindful concentration breaks the stream of useless thoughts.

 

[Davek1977]

I find shooting to relieve stress, and to occupy my mind. When I get bad news, and "fixing" whatever the issue may be isnt an immediate option, there's not two things I'd rather happen than my stress levels being reduced and and my mind occupied by something else. So, why on earth would shooting be something to avoid? Why do some find the idea "scary"? I could understand the concern if I was randomly shooting with no regard to safety or the four rules, but thats hardly the case. If capable of operating a gun in a safe manner, I see nothing wrong with this sort of stres relief. In fact, theres been times when I was obviously stressed, and my wife or even my mother have suggested I "go shoot something" for a bit, because experince has taught them the soothing effect it has on me and my attitudes. People cope in different ways. Some crawl in a bottle, some take it out on others.....me?? I shoot. Its safe...its effective...and its not something I plan on changing simply because some people find it anything from odd to terrifying. I know what works for me, and others feelings about it don't concern me the slightest.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

And if you have access to private land with distant neighbors, shooting Tannerite targets can be theraputic.

 

[Buck1959]

Actually I can't focus on anything under extreme stress (death in family, etc). So shooting at a range wouldn't cut it for me. For extreme stress, I drive. Getting in my truck for a long, long drive allows me to meditate and I always return to my home feeling better.

 

[Davek1977]

If one loses all focus under stress, I can't for the life of me see how driving is ANY more safer than shooting. If you can't focus, don't do things that can cause death if you LOSE that focus for a few seconds.

 

[Sav .250]

I`m thing more like ...........regular therapy. A little couch time.

 

[dhracer]

My solution for stress is riding my mountain bike. Specifically riding my downhill bike as fast as possible on dangerous trails. Nothing clears the trivial BS from your brain like being in a life threatening situation.

Sometimes shooting helps blow off some steam, but it's not the same. Plus you always need to stay safe when shooting, biking not so much. It's one thing when other peoples lives are at risk.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

[bannockburn]

Never have gone shooting to relieve stress or pent up anger but have found going to the batting cages to be very therapeutic.

 

[tnelson31]

The disciplines of shooting, the required concentration and focus, and the refined physical demands make the act/art of shooting unable to let other things race around your mind. That translates into EXCELLENT stress relief. Actually, you are commanding yourself to BE stressed, in a more pleasant way, that probably releases those happy endorphins into your bloodstream.

This!

 

[GBExpat]

Do you ever get bad news and just want to go shoot something to feel better?

Not so much shoot something as much as just walk out back (farm) and shoot some, absolutely.

 

[Constrictor]

absolutely. its good to blow off some steam once in awhile, always makes me feel better. being stressed out is nothing like being drunk.
always shoot safely.

 

[Ranger Roberts]

Best of luck in whatever you are going through. I have a few things to blow off some steam and shooting is one of the top 3, a motorcycle ride and a heavy bag round off the list.

 

[Hanzo581]

Considering to do this I'd have to drive to the range and wait in line to shoot I can safely say I've never done this. But if I could just go in the back yard and squeeze off a few rounds I absolutely would.