What is so special about this pillow? It is made of a custom dense foam blend optimized for sound deadening. It’s also designed to be compressible, so users can roll up the shawlette and take it on the go (in case the TSA line is really going to blow your top). The outer cover is organic duck canvas, made of densely woven cotton, so the pillow is soft on the lips but resilient against projectile spit stains.
It cost $39.99, but is currently on sale for $30.
Before moving into sound muffling pillows, shoutout manufacturers brent drake47, used other methods to reduce stress in her life and help cope with trauma. he was fond of wim hoff breathing method The practitioner found that breathing protocols and other similar techniques took too long, in their opinion, to produce a sense of calm. Then he found scream therapy and realized how quickly and effectively it helped him heal.
“A good, intentional yelling session takes me about 30 seconds to achieve clarity,” Drake tells Well+Good.
The Search for the Perfect Pillow for Screaming
Drake couldn’t find a nice, pillowy device that would help make yelling feel like a mental health exercise, and less like a frightening display that would scare anyone within earshot. First, they used a team of Stanford engineers in 2019 to create a voice suppressor. However, after a year of R&D, Drake ultimately determined that his solution was too heavy. On a camping trip, they realized that a portable pillow (like a camping pillow) was the answer. He got to work cutting various shapes out of a memory foam mattress topper and created his first prototype by hand.
During the next three years, he tested all types of materials and sound suppressors. “We probably went through 20 iterations,” says Drake.
And yes, all that testing involved yelling – using a decibel reader to measure loudness levels. Finally, the pillow can now reduce sound by up to 60 percent!
Why such complex mechanics? The overall goal of having a tool like Shoutlet is to make people more comfortable with releasing it. And while the original target market was people who experience “acute stress”, such as parents and students, Shoutlet has found success with groups that Drake did not expect.
“By far the largest (user group) is the neurodivergent crowd, as (some) adopted Shoutlets as a means of releasing and controlling outbursts and/or actions related to ADHD, autism, Tourette’s and/or severe anxiety However, Drake emphasizes that the shoutout should be just one tool in the mental health toolbox.
Scream, scream, let it all out?
Screaming for emotional release has been in and out of vogue for decades “Primal Scream Therapy” Gaining particular notoriety in the 1960s, and modern wellness experiences such as Class (Famous for incorporating yelling and grunting along with cardio movements) Getting busy.
There are very few shout therapy studies supporting its efficacy as a mental health modality.a study found that “abusive” activities, including screaming into a pillow, did not significantly diffuse anger. However, anyone who has tried to scream in a moment of stress or frustration knows that it can be a helpful way to process emotions, or even to feel downright necessary. And while the need for a particular pillow may be specific, Drake has high expectations. “I firmly believe that (scream therapy) will become a new category in health and wellness once the stigma is broken and the practice becomes not just acceptable, but expected,” he says.
So…can’t you use a regular pillow? or car? Or, hey, why even try to silence yourself?
From Drake’s perspective, he just wants to help reduce the stigma associated with screaming.
“Whether it’s sitting in front of the TV watching a game, a concert, climbing to the top of a mountain, dealing with trauma with a therapist, taking control of a stressful event, or just getting up in the morning and starting your day. Thinking about something new, Drake says, deep and meaningful howling to free and control your emotions is a game changer.
Come to think of it, having a few shoutouts can go a long way during an emotionally charged Superbowl party.
