Travelling overseas might still be off the cards, but Iceland has come up with a unique way to make sure your voice is still heard overseas.
Iceland tourism is acknowledging that people have a lot of pent-up energy and frustration about 2020 and is encouraging people to ‘let it out’ by screaming into the country’s vast wilderness.
“Looks like you’ve been through a lot. It looks like you need to let it out somewhere big, beautiful and open. It looks like you need Iceland,” the country’s latest ad announces.
The video then shows a series of people in lockdown, letting out a scream before being transported to Iceland.
While Australians still can’t go across and visit Iceland due to COVID-19 restrictions, Iceland is encouraging people to record their screams of frustration and upload them for the nation’s tourism board to play in a remote location.
Screaming as a therapeutic tool has been shown to have some health benefits, according to mental health consultant Zoe Aston.
“Screaming as a therapeutic tool was developed in the 1970s as a way to release pent-up emotion,” she explained.
“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.”
Iceland also has some tips for how to record your scream:
1. Consider what your ‘scream’ will be. Some people will use volume, some will use words, some may even use breath.
2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Relax your shoulders. You may find it useful to put your hands on your hips or use your arms to help push out some of the pent-up emotion. Follow your instincts.
3. Imagine a baby when it cries and screams. The noise comes from the baby’s gut. This is where your scream should come from. If it helps, put your hands on your belly and take a few deep breaths before you begin.
Have you ever been to Iceland? Have you been waiting for an opportunity to scream this year? What do you think about this campaign?
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