History Main / PercussiveTherapy

* ''Film/TheCrow'': Eric Draven plays an emotive guitar solo on the rooftop of his apartment building until the memories of his [[TheLostLenore murdered fiancée]] become too much and he smashes the guitar in grief and anger.

* Played for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'', where when Pickles starts smashing lamps on Charles's table in a fit of rage, Charles directs him to [[CrazyPrepared a bunch of cheap lamps at the back of the room while also calling in workers to bring in more cheap lamps to smash]]. Later on, Toki barges into the meeting and joins in on the smashing for no particular reason other than it looks fun.

Sometimes you are just ''angry''. Angry enough that you decide to take it out on something or someone. [[ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption Physically]]. This violent behavior may target a simple inanimate object, an opponent in a boxing match, or other similar situation, or maybe some convenient villain who happens to be in the area. Anyway, the point is that you are resolving your anger in a violent, but still somewhat socially acceptable way.

* ''Film/TheWholeNineYards'': Matthew Perry hates his life. While driving to work, he stops every [[FridgeBrilliance nine yards or so]] to flail around madly and headbutt his horn three times.

* ''Literature/LegendOfTheGalacticHeroes'': Reinhard exhibited a tendency to smash wineglasses whenever some particularly bad news was delivered to him.

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'':
** In ''ComicBook/KryptonNoMore'', Superman's one-time villain Protector storms the Fortress of Solitude right when Superman is feeling confused and mad after an argument with ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}. Clark decides that punching Protector out may be a good way to vent.
--->'''Superman:''' In a way, I feel sorry for you, Protector! You picked the wrong moment to challenge me! I'm bewildered and I'm mad — and I'm just aching to work off steam! Unfortunately, I'm going to work that steam off on you!

[[folder:Web Original]]
* "Literature/ILikeMonkeys": The man decides to severely beat up one of his dead monkeys when he got agitated at his inability to dispose of his monkeys and to use the bathroom. He felt better thanks to it.
* Early in season two of ''AudioPlay/LeDonjonDeNaheulbeuk'', the Barbarian has such an episode.
-->'''Barbarian:''' This pisses me off, I need to punch someone!\\
''(minstrel says something)''\\
'''Barbarian:''' I know who I'm gonna punch... ''(minstrel runs away)''
* Post Volume 3 of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', James Ironwood has developed a habit of smashing whatever desk he's sitting by or throwing whatever he's holding whenever he becomes particularly angry or frustrated. As the series goes on, these NotSoStoic moments happen with increasing frequency and force. In a SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome, this [[DeconstructedTrope actually makes his issues worse]].
[[/folder]]

* In the episode "Little Girl Lost" of ''Series/{{Castle}}'', a woman whose daughter was kidnapped smashes a lamp against her husband's painting when she feels he's not concerned enough.

* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'': After going into Ashton's memories of his critical injury and abandonment by the Nobodies, they appear to be calm and taking it quite well. That is, until F.C.G. drops his Calm Emotions spell, at which point Ashton stands up and starts punching a hole through the wall with his bare fists. They do seem noticeably calmer after, which is likely why Fearne prevented Imogen from intervening.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' shows just why this doesn't work. When Mariner reprograms the holodeck to allow her to play as a villain and fight the entire crew, the rest of the actual people with her point out just how unheathy it is. It isn't until she [[spoiler: nearly kills her own mother's hologram and fights the holographic version of herself that she begins to address her issues in a better way]].

* "WebOriginal/ILikeMonkeys": The man decides to severely beat up one of his dead monkeys when he got agitated at his inability to dispose of his monkeys and to use the bathroom. He felt better thanks to it.

* In one of the ''Literature/AdrianMole'' books, Adrian visits a therapist who encourages him to vent his anger by beating a chair with a stick. He subsequently complains that it didn't help his issues but did injure his shoulder.

* In-universe: In ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', keep hitting the stomp button for a while after killing a Necromorph, and eventually Isaac Clarke will start swearing a blue streak, apparently getting out all his frustrations on these horrible undead abominations that are making his life utter hell.

* Played for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalyse}}'', where when Pickles starts smashing lamps on Charles's table in a fit of rage, Charles directs him to [[CrazyPrepared a bunch of cheap lamps at the back of the room while also calling in workers to bring in more cheap lamps to smash]]. Later on, Toki barges into the meeting and joins in on the smashing for no particular reason other than it looks fun.

* Played for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalyse}}'', where when Pickles starts smashing lamps on Charles's table, Charles directs him to [[CrazyPrepared a bunch of cheap lamps at the back of the room while also calling in workers to bring in more cheap lamps for them to smash]]. Later on, Toki barges into the meeting and joins in on the smashing for no particular reason other than it looks fun.

* A ''very'' dark example is shown in ''Film/ThePatriot''. After one of his sons is killed by a [[BigBad sadistic British officer]] and his oldest son taken by British regulars to be executed, Benjamin Martin takes two of his other sons to rescue his oldest via guerrilla warfare. Benjamin kills the final regular by repeatedly chopping him with a tomahawk, even well after he’s dead. Benjamin’s absolutely ''slathered'' in the poor soldier’s blood by the time he’s done.

* ''Film/TheRoom'' features a homage to the ''Citizen Kane'' scene. Like everything else in this movie, it's [[SoBadItsGood hilariously poor]].