How to deal with emotions in a healthy way?
Learn how to deal with emotions without charging yourself and understand the importance of recognizing them
Self-knowledge is one of the most intense and profound processes one can experience. It’s from him that we learn how to deal with emotions and feelings, in addition to developing awareness of what’s going on inside us and how we express it to the world.
And speaking of emotions, did you know that when we are exposed to some kind of situation, whether good or bad, the brain releases hormones that change our emotional state?
That’s why we can break out in a cold sweat from nervousness or anxiety and cry out of sadness or joy. Each person reacts differently in the face of the same situations. However, it is necessary to work on the awareness of these emotions so that we can deal with adversity in a healthier way .
If you want to better understand what’s going on in there, you’re in the right place. In this content, we will show you the importance of recognizing and working with emotions in a healthy way. Come on?
What are they and how to deal with emotions?
First, we need to understand that emotions are very different from feelings. Although they are considered synonymous, the two states manifest themselves in different ways.
Emotions are responsible for guiding much of our behavior in the face of external stimuli. They are immediate responses to a speech or an event, for example. You can be impacted in the body without control.
On the other hand, feelings happen much more intensely. It is part of processing the situation as a whole, that is, they reflect how we feel in the face of emotion. They are in our mind.
The most curious thing about this is that this relationship between the two is very fast. Where emotion is nothing more than the reaction of the unconscious, while feeling is considered a judgment on these emotions.
But learning how to deal with emotions is a big challenge. This is because each person lives in a different context, has had experiences and has particular references. The individual repertoire can impact the way you react and work on your emotional state on a daily basis.
This journey is not linear, it is a process of ups and downs. However, there are some simple and very interesting strategies that can help you better deal with your emotions little by little, in your time. Check below:
🧩 Allow yourself to be wrong
😉 Focus on sincerity to deal with your feelings
🧠 Take care of your mental health
🤬 Avoid complaining about small things
🧘 View internal conflict as an opportunity for self-knowledge.
The most important tip of all is not to overcharge yourself . We are mutant beings and throughout life, we need to discover what is good for us and, above all, what makes sense for our health, be it physical or mental.
What emotions can we manifest?
According to scientists, about 27 emotions most felt by us humans have been identified. Still, there are five that are considered universal, they are: joy, fear, sadness, disgust and anger.
Each one acts according to the circumstances of our life. Did you feel like getting to know each of them a little bit? See below how we behave and react to emotions:
😁 When we are happy and cheerful…
We are taken by the emotion that is directly linked to happiness and pleasure. Our body encourages us to act out of joy.
An example of this is when we study hard to pass a university or work even harder to get that long-awaited job promotion.
We keep the expectation alive within us. But it is worth remembering that it is impossible to be happy all the time. Dealing with frustrations is part of life, and it helps us in the maturing process.
😨 And when fear appears…
We feel the heart racing and the air missing, don’t we? This involuntary reaction is the protective mechanism that our brain activates and what keeps us alive.
So, when we find ourselves in a dangerous situation, we don’t think twice about reacting to escape that risk scenario.
😢 Sadness comes into play when…
We are discouraged, tired and often feeling alone. Despite being considered totally negative, sadness is a common and completely healthy emotional state when fleeting.
If this type of emotion lasts for a long time, it is necessary to pay attention and investigate whether the condition is showing signs of depression . For this, count on the support of health professionals to monitor your mental health closely.
🤢 By being disgusted, you…
They have the need to reject something and feel repulsed by it, and may – or may not – have physical symptoms such as nausea and malaise. But did you know that disgust serves to avoid any stimulus that can cause intoxication?
An example of this is when the child throws a tantrum and frowns at certain foods. The body reacts by repulsing an opportunity – real or imaginary – to ingest something harmful.
This emotion is so powerful that it also reflects in social relationships, situations or events that occasionally can generate the same reactions.
😡 Your anger can come out when…
You are faced with an unfair situation or a stressful event.
If felt in a controlled way, anger can help to recognize problems and stimulate the search for solutions. Now, living with excessive anger can directly interfere with the people around you.
Like sadness, this type of emotion can intensify to different degrees. If anger gets out of hand, the tendency is to take it out on those around you. Which is not healthy at all.
Pondering how anger manifests itself is the best way to not be a hostage to emotion and, of course, not to affect your daily life and your relationships.
“And outside the story?”
Most likely you have already been impacted by numerous posts that raise this question on social networks. But how many “everything” did it take to mask difficult circumstances?
At some point you had to hide your emotions and pretend that everything was fine. Although common, avoiding sharing how you feel with others and not showing fragility is something to worry about.
It takes courage to welcome canceled emotions, as we were taught from an early age to label emotions as good and bad, positive and negative.
Unfortunately, due to a cultural imposition, we are obliged to transmit only good energies even when things are unfavorable.
There is no switch that simply allows us to turn around when negative emotions and feelings take over. Even if you try to inhibit them, it is impossible to make the “black cloud” disappear. You can choose not to deal with emotions of sadness and suffering, however, they will act and impact us in the face of situations that arise.
That’s why it’s essential to learn how to deal with emotions to live more fairly with yourself, with your trajectory, your memories, desires, plans and today .
Understanding emotions
Avoiding emotions is impossible, as we saw earlier. What is up to us is to understand them better to define whether they will move us in a negative or positive way.
Understanding our emotions makes you:
- React differently and mature
- Realize what impacts you
- Deal with situations in a less painful way
- Increase sense of well-being
- Improve your relationships clearer
- Allow yourself not to evolve and respect your weaknesses
- Focus more on yourself and your surroundings.
And what to do in uncomfortable situations? Is there a rule? Learn more in the next section.
How to deal with negative emotions?
The first step is to try to investigate the discomfort or feeling in the face of the situation that left you like this. A good practice is to question the emotion, so understand what you felt: was it anger? jealousy? fear?
Also ask yourself what this emotion has to do with your story. Have you felt her before? Why do you think this emotional reaction happened well in this situation?
Therefore, we invite you. Consult a mental health professional and share your emotions, feelings and distress. You don’t have to face them without support.
Go after what’s good for you, count on who you can trust.
Mental health: this taboo must be broken!
Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your body. And this is not just our opinion!
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition states that “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. But the reality is that for many people, just the fact of touching on the subject is already a reason for mistrust and withdrawal.
There’s no way, the subject is still taboo.
The stigma related to mental health is undeniable and unfortunately there is still disagreement, prejudice and even violence against people who live with some emotional issue. Which is at least contradictory, since Brazil is in 2nd place in the ranking of the most stressed population in the world , in addition to being the country with the highest rate of anxious people on the planet.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
Where does this prejudice come from?
Of course, there are several factors, but it is possible to raise some hypotheses and reasons that lead us to sweep the subject under the rug:
- Fear of negative repercussions;
- Ashamed of being vulnerable;
- Worry that is seen as a sign of weakness;
- I am afraid it will affect reputation or career;
- Difficulty accepting the problem.
You are part of the change!
Debating without prejudice and normalizing all these issues is fundamental. Just like someone who goes to the doctor is not ashamed to speak, anyone who seeks a psychologist shouldn’t be either. In addition, it is always important to educate yourself and seek new information.
What attitudes contribute to good mental health?
You need to understand that to maintain balanced mental health and achieve a good quality of life, your effort will be daily . So there’s no recipe ready! But here are some simple tips you can follow:
Know your limitations
Do not be so hard on yourself! Analyze with critical thinking the possibilities to achieve goals and objectives. Know what is possible to be done and avoid frustrations.
Deconstruct obstacles
Be open to the new , seek to deconstruct and overcome the barriers that impede your relationships – in the family, at work, in friendships and in love. Believe that you are in constant transformation and are capable of creating new ways of acting and thinking.
Practice self care
Have a careful and attentive look at yourself: body, mind, emotions and self-esteem. Seek to build your well-being and don’t stick to society’s standards.
And if you realize that the emotional burden is great or that you can’t take care of your mental health, don’t be silent or ashamed. Ask for help!
How is your self-esteem?
The need to exercise self-respect in today’s society
Much is said about self-esteem but little about its true meaning. Self-esteem is the view that a person has of himself. From it it is possible to define the way in which challenges are faced. And one of the main points is that it begins to be developed during childhood.
A Dove study, carried out in 2020, shows that about 84% of 13-year-old Brazilian girls have already used an app to change their image in their photos. In addition, 78% have low self-esteem and change at least one part of their body that they don’t like before posting a photo on social media.
The truth is that body image is one of the biggest problems for this generation, especially women in their growth phase. In an era where 62% of people publish content daily on Instagram, it is possible to say that we have a digital environment made for appearance comparisons.
And speaking of social media…
Today, we can divide the world in two: real and digital. And the way people behave is very different in each one. While in real life people tend to have more respect for the other’s life, in digital life they can become a real villain by making comments while hiding behind a screen.
All criticism usually comes from the pursuit of happiness and perfection in real life. Sounds complex, right? But it is these types of posts and comments that bring about self-esteem issues and, therefore, empathy needs to be practiced in both worlds.
The emotional wear and tear of always wanting to know what happens on social media and the wave of hate and dislikes can harm mental health. Users can experience a variety of negative feelings, such as anger and sadness, so it is not surprising that the main mental disorders caused by social networks are anxiety and depression.
In addition, cell phone addiction can cause a vicious cycle where the person, to feel good, needs to be connected 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. When this resource is used so heavily, our mental health ends up being damaged, as well as our ability to connect in person.
How does self-esteem relate to health?
Remember we talked about building self-esteem since childhood? Well, that goes in here too. By including self-confidence in her concept, she goes beyond liking herself and starts to integrate other people’s thoughts. When a person becomes insecure, they tend to have characteristics such as difficulty in stating their own opinions and poor understanding, clarity and understanding of themselves.
The right help for those in need
But calm down, the digital world is not always a bogeyman: there are groups and safe places where people can exchange information and experiences on different subjects, in a broader way, without receiving judgments and prejudices.
The process of developing self-esteem can be complicated, so don’t hesitate to seek follow-up with professionals. Vitta offers assistance 24 hours a day and 7 days a week via WhatsApp, that is, we are always by your side.