PAINFUL EMOTIONS

EMOTIONS inform us and play an important role in how we think and behave.There are three components to emotions:

1. How we experience the emotion.
2. How our bodies react to the emotion
3. How we behave in response to the emotion.

Many people I see find it very difficult to feel painful emotions. Many just don’t do it and do just about anything to get rid of feeling painful emotions- drink, use drugs, self – harm, yet these are short term soothers. Psychotherapist Sheri Van Dijk explains “when we fight the pain: judge it,try to push it away, avoid it,ignore it, it actually triggers other painful emotions, resulting in more emotional pain.”

Many clients come with goal “I just want to be happy” yet how realistic is it to be happy in life when events trigger powerful emotions that can be painful.

There are ways to help with painful emotions:

1. Acknowledge the emotion and allow it.
2. Listen to what it is telling you.Emotions inform us,they give us information about who we are and how we relate to the world.
3. Validate it – don’t judge it.
4. Stay in the present moment – try not to ruminate , this only triggers more pain.

If you feel overwhelmed by painful emotions and find yourself ruminating about events,therapy can assist is finding a resolution that will assist you to manage painful emotions.