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Naperville Today
By the People, for the People
Naperville Rage Rooms Offer Anger Release: 'Like a Therapy Session'
Axe Zone Lounge's rage rooms let customers vent frustrations by smashing TVs, bottles, and other items.
Apr. 2, 2026 at 7:56pm
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Rage rooms provide a cathartic outlet for people to vent their frustrations, but mental health experts caution they are not a long-term solution for addressing deeper emotional issues.Naperville TodayThe Axe Zone Lounge in Naperville, Illinois has expanded its business to include 'rage rooms' where customers can vent their anger by smashing TVs, bottles, and other items with sledgehammers and crowbars. The rage rooms have become a popular activity for those dealing with personal issues, grief, or just looking to let off steam in a safe environment.
Why it matters
Rage rooms provide a unique outlet for people to express anger and frustration in a controlled setting, rather than taking it out on others or damaging property. However, mental health experts caution that while rage rooms may offer temporary relief, they are not a long-term solution for addressing deeper emotional issues.
The details
The Axe Zone Lounge started as an axe-throwing business but expanded to include three rage rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. For 30 minutes and $70, customers can use sledgehammers and crowbars to destroy TVs, keyboards, printers, bottles, and other items. The rage rooms accommodate 2-4 people at a time, and customers often come for birthday parties, group activities, or to work through personal issues. Managers say they see a range of emotions from customers, including anger, grief, and even conflict between friends.
- The Axe Zone Lounge in Naperville started offering rage rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Just last week, a mother and daughter visited the rage rooms after the mother's recent breakup.
The players
Axe Zone Lounge and Rage Room
A business in Naperville, Illinois that offers axe throwing and rage rooms where customers can vent their anger by smashing items.
Abby Varma
The manager at Axe Zone Lounge and Rage Room in Naperville.
Liz Chamberlain
A licensed psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz who argues that while rage rooms may provide temporary relief, they are not an effective long-term strategy for addressing anger and mental health issues.
What they’re saying
“She was saying, 'I'll be back here soon.'”
— Abby Varma, Manager at Axe Zone Lounge and Rage Room
“Thirty minutes is a lot, I'm telling you, because you'll be breaking for 30 minutes. You'll be getting tired and it's like a workout session too. You'll be burning a lot of calories. … People come out full sweating 'cause they'll be breaking (stuff) — boom, bam.”
— Abby Varma, Manager at Axe Zone Lounge and Rage Room
“The rage rooms are definitely important because therapy is expensive. If you are angry at someone, you can't just go and take it out on people, right? You definitely need a rage room to break something, which you can't do outside or anywhere else.”
— Abby Varma, Manager at Axe Zone Lounge and Rage Room
“There's really no scientific evidence to support that rage rooms can actually help anger or reduce frustration.”
— Liz Chamberlain, Licensed psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz
“I think it's helpful if people need a release in some way. But then the next step is not a part (of what) rage rooms offer, which is after I get some of this difficult energy out, then what do I do? How can I begin to think about what led to this, how I feel? How can I express it in a more constructive way?”
— Liz Chamberlain, Licensed psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz
What’s next
Mental health experts recommend that while rage rooms may provide temporary relief, people should also seek out more constructive ways to address their anger and frustration, such as through therapy or other coping mechanisms.
The takeaway
Rage rooms offer a unique and popular outlet for people to vent their emotions in a controlled environment, but they are not a long-term solution for addressing deeper mental health issues. Experts caution that while rage rooms can provide a temporary release, people should also focus on developing more constructive ways to process and express their feelings.
