Wipe that smirk off your face before I knock it off. Observe the consequences of your venting carefully, if it isn't working, try some other approach. In other words, expressing anger right in the other person's face feels good and gets the venom out of your system if it works for you, i.e. rights some wrong or gets the other person to change, and, at the same time, avoids creating more conflict and stress. She admits that it is risky business when directly confronting the person you are mad at. Tavris never seems to consider private catharsis.
Catharsis occurs quite often in therapy where it is almost universally considered therapeutic.
We need more and better research. Deal with anxiety, guilt, and low self-esteem . All environmental stresses and internal tensions seem to intensify our aggressive responses. Karen Horney thought chronic anger was a defense against emotional insecurity. Perhaps a sagging self-concept is particularly prone to prompt a hostile reaction to even minor offenses.