We may suppress our feelings to avoid pain. Perhaps we don’t want to inconvenience others, so we pretend everything is fine. In a “be strong” society, we are often taught to suck it up, move on, and never mention it again. This restraint can cause stressful situations to snowball.
Here’s how to process your emotions effectively instead of bottling up unwanted feelings.
Identify Your Feelings
Something’s off… Are you anxious? Angry? A dark cloud of sadness can disrupt your day. It may even mess up an entire month. What are you feeling? It may help to say it out loud. “I’m nervous.” “I feel unloved. “I’m overwhelmed.” “I’m pissed off!” “I feel misunderstood.” “I feel triggered.” “I feel disrespected.” “I’m furious.”
Remember to label the positive feelings too. It’s important to classify all of your emotions, especially when you want to get to that “happy place” when you’ve drifted from it.
Why Do I Feel This Way?
We have feelings for different reasons. It’s usually not a mystery why we feel a certain way at any given time. Once you have recognized and accepted your emotion(s), take a pause to understand why they exist. This could be an internalized perception or due to an outside influence. Notice how you react to how you’re feeling.
If you haven’t slept enough, are you more irritable and impatient? When you’re around your neighbor, does their nosiness aggravate you? Does your best friend’s smile make you smile too, even when you’re feeling like a failure?
It’s OK to Not Be OK
There are no “bad” emotions. We are human, and we are complex. Being happy all the time isn’t natural. When you are feeling down or discouraged, soak it in. Let it exist for a while. We have to get comfortable with imperfections and unease. Once you’ve given yourself a chance to feel, you can find the best way to move forward.
You are allowed to experience and express emotion. You may not feel great at the moment, but this won’t be permanent. When you give yourself a chance to go through your emotion(s) you will become aware of your attitude and behaviors. Appreciate your adaptability. Embrace your vulnerability.
What Can I Do to Change This?
If we allow our emotions to fester, they will feed off our insecurities, gloom, and grief. Take your emotions in; accept them. Uncover the source, and remember, it could be yourself. Once you’re familiar with the process of feeling and finding out why, you have the tools to make changes.
Can you communicate with others more productively? Should you be easier on yourself? Are you repeating unhealthy/unhelpful patterns? You may need to remove yourself from unhealthy or unsafe situations or distance yourself from toxic relationships.
Getting Help
You don’t have to go through life alone. Help is available when you are stressed out due to emotional battles and breakdowns. There’s no reason to conceal or censor your feelings. And there are effective ways to work on your mental health.
Whether you talk to a friend, a family member, someone you’ve connected with online, or a mental health professional, help is important and it’s powerful. Learn to effectively manage your emotions to achieve inner peace and self-protection.
Your mental health matters. Embark on your journey towards sobriety and mental clarity at Beachside Rehab in West Palm Beach, Florida. We offer inpatient and outpatient detox, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and holistic recovery. Please call 866-349-1770 to speak with one of our trained admissions counselor.