Bottling up emotions can be really pose health risk, not just mentally but mentally as well. Expert weight in on how to manage emotional quotient on an everyday basis.
Emotions make us human. One is bound to feel sad, happy, stressed etc at different situations in life. and sharing your emotions is as essential as keeping a fit body. Mostly understated, emotional well being is important to maintain sanity in this hustle driven world. Feeling big emotions are never comfortable, but they are a big part of what makes us human. When we bottle up feelings–whether it’s sadness, anger, or guilt–it doesn’t just disappear. Instead, it can start to impact our health in ways we might not even realize. The connection between our emotional state and physical well-being is powerful. Several studies show how deeply suppressed emotions can fester within us, leading to serious health issues down the line.
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Suppressed emotions are the feelings we push down, often because we are afraid of being judged, vulnerable, or simply because we think it’s easier than dealing with them head-on. Maybe it’s societal expectations or past trauma; whatever the reason, ignoring our emotions doesn’t make them go away– it just buries them deeper. In the short term, it might feel like we are coping, but over time, this suppression can build up, affecting not just our emotional health but our physical health too. It’s like keeping a lid on a boiling pot, it’s only a matter of time before it spills over.
Why You Should Not Suppress Emotions?
India .com got in touch with Luke Coutinho, Integrative Lifestyle Expert who explained why bottling up emotions is not way to go about a healthy life. Coutinho said, “Our bodies are designed to handle stress in short bursts, activating the sympathetic nervous system– often called the “fight or flight” mode. But when we keep our emotions bottled up, we end up living in this state far longer than we should. This chronic activation creates a constant stream of stress hormones like cortisol, which starts to wear down our body. When cortisol levels stay high, it can lead to inflammation, weaken our immune system, and throw other hormones out of balance.”
For instance, too much cortisol can suppress the production of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), leading to an underactive thyroid. This, in turn, can cause fatigue, mood swings, and weight gain.
Over time, living in this stressed state makes us more susceptible to conditions like high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, and even neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
In our experience of coaching individuals with various ailments, we have seen that unresolved emotions are not just a mental burden– they’re a physical one too.
How to Manage Emotion Everyday?
What can be done to make sure unresolved emotions don’t get in the way of your health and longevity? Coutinho further elaborated that there are no shortcuts to numb the pain, fear, humiliation, or resentment. Healthy emotional expression prevents the buildup of stress that could lead to serious health conditions.
- Open up about what’s going on within you to a loved one, be it a friend, family member, or partner.
- Reaching out to a licensed therapist, life coach, or counselor can help you find your way back to equilibrium.
- If you don’t have anyone to speak to, write it down on paper (or record a voice memo) and discard it to let those feelings go.
- Methods like journaling, sound healing, or Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) also provide safe outlets to release suppressed emotions. Practices like these help to clear the mind and body of negative energy, allowing for better physical and mental health.
- Whether it’s through movement, meditation, or art– finding ways to express emotions is key to a healthy parasympathetic system, preventing long-term harm and fostering healing.
The key takeaway here is simple- don’t let unexpressed emotions weigh you down. Find safe, healthy ways to express your feelings; in doing so, you can reclaim autonomy over your health and improve your well-being.