It's really hard to explain; you should give it a try. An hour at the range is like two valium. Amazing calm descends.
Two reasons I think: it takes a lot of concentration/relaxation to shoot really well. If you can maintain that for a while it has a calming effect. Second, it's a really big, big satisying bang. A BIG LOUD noise, a fair amount of recoil -- you can let a lot of anger out like that.
I used to be a really great shot. Every once in a while, I think about going to the range for practice, just for the calming effect. But I dont' know where the effing range is and I'd have to buy a gun, get ear muffs, etc.
Joanna
^^^^ CB: I have to confess that when I was younger I did go to firing ranges a few times. I might have been too uptight to enjoy it, though, 'cause, you know , it was high school; there's all kinds of other pressures. I was secretly wearing "make love, not war" buttons; it was military school, so I had to go to the range. (smile)
Bang therapy is very American, as reflected in the main patriotic holiday, Fourth of July fireworks' celebrations, and "the rockets' red glare and bombs bursting in air" of the national anthem.