Iceland invites people to scream out their frustrations in its wild landscapes

‘Looks like you need to let it all out,’ says new campaign

Hraunfossar Falls, Iceland (istock)

Iceland is inviting people to “let it all out” by screaming into its untouched landscapes.

A new campaign encourages participants to record themselves screaming while looking at one of the country’s untamed views – including beaches, waterfalls and lakes – on the website.

The scream will then be “released” into the wild.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down countless travel plans, Inspired by Iceland – an offshoot of the country’s tourist board – launched the campaign to give people around the world an outlet for their pent-up frustration.

“You’ve been through a lot this year and it looks like you need the perfect place to let your frustrations out,” says the website.

“Somewhere big, vast and untouched. It looks like you need Iceland.

“Record your scream and we’ll release it in Iceland’s beautiful, wide-open spaces. And when you’re ready, come let it out for real.

“You’ll feel better, we promise.”

The campaign has even enlisted the help of a therapist and mental health consultant, Zoe Aston, to explain why screaming from the top of your lungs is actually beneficial.

“Screaming as a therapeutic tool was developed in the 1970s as a way to release pent-up emotion,” she says.

“What we don’t realise is that the psychological response to wanting to scream lights up a part of our brains called the amygdala. The amygdala activates when we are under threat, something we have all experienced in the past few months.

“Part of the beneficial effect of screaming comes from being able to make a loud noise into a wide, open, undisturbed space. This literally allows your amygdala to release the stress stored there and move forward.”

There’s even a guide on how to do the perfect scream, with tips including standing with feet hip-width apart and knees bent, and letting the noise come from your gut.

“Imagine a baby when it cries and screams,” it advises.