There has been a lot of controversy surrounding firearms lately, but can they be beneficial to stress relief?
I grew up in rural South Africa where guns were a normal part of the home. We used it not only for recreational purposes, but also for protection, much like the argument that the Southern traditional folks use for the Second Amendment.
In my country, the law (https://www.loc.gov/law/help/firearms-control/southafrica.php) states that a person over the age of 21 years can only own four firearms in their entire life. Two of these have to be for hunting purposes and only one of these is allowed to be a handgun. The amount of ammunition a person can purchase and have on their person at a given time is limited and the type of ammunition is also limited.
When I came stateside and looked at the amount of shotgun racks in the back of pickup truck cabs, I felt a little overwhelmed. People would tell me about the mounds of guns that they own, so I decided to look into it a little.
In the state of Tennessee, a person who is 18 years or older may purchase two firearms daily, as long as it is a rifle or shotgun, until the age of 21. Surprisingly enough, when you are old enough to get drunk, you are old enough to buy any type of firearm that you want, as long as you only buy two a day.
Almost 50 percent (https://qz.com/437015/mapped-the-us-states-with-the-most-gun-owners-and-most-gun-deaths) of households in Tennessee own guns. So it should not come as a surprise that some of your buddies may be carrying or enjoy to go to a shooting range to release some anxiety. If you choose to go to a safe shooting facility, you can purchase a permit (https://www.tn.gov/twra/article/firing-ranges) for that range, as long as the range is approved by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Because guns can be expensive, for the rest of us who can barely afford to eat much other than Ramen noodles toward the end of the month, we might like to go to a shooting range or find a friend who owns private property in the county and shoot some targets.
I have a friend from New York City who did not grow up with guns, so it was very stressful for her to hold a gun her first time. Then she actually shot the bullseye on her target and a smile spread over her face. After pulling a trigger, nearly going deaf from the blast and seeing a paper target falter from the force of your bullet, that makes it all worth it. The adrenaline rush and the flood of endorphins can cure any amount of stress.
While shooting has many health benefits (www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-going-shooting-range), such as improving your balance due to a strengthened core or improving your hand-eye-coordination, it could also help reduce stress.
Some anxiety sufferers have said (www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f26/shooting-guns-to-relieve-stress-124517/) that shooting at a range helps reduce anxiety, but bear in mind that it could become very costly, as you have to pay every time you go.
If you’re super tight on the budget, but you really want to try it out, ask a friend with a plot of land somewhere in the county. Don’t judge before you give it a shot.
