Understanding and expressing emotions

“How are you?”

Did you automatically think – “I’m fine, thank you”?

Even when feeling stressed, anxious, and isolated, sometimes people choose to ignore their emotions and thus this can contribute to a long-term inability to express them  appropriately and meaningfully.  

Emotions matter because they are fundamental to the human experience, acting as a crucial internal guidance system of how we perceive the world, interact with others, make decisions and overall dictate our lives.

Ignoring your emotions may make them seem less apparent, but they can negatively impact your physical and psychological wellbeing if left unaddressed. For instance, studies suggest that people who do not attend to their emotions are more likely to ignore basic hygiene, social interaction and can become easily irritable or experience further psychosomatic complications.

Talking about mental health and emotions with others can reduce feelings of isolation and detachment, decrease accumulated stress and anxiety, and strengthen interpersonal relationships through the opportunity to relate to other similar experiences. This type of self-disclosure can prevent harmful habits that may lead to mental and physical damage.

Adaptive ways to express emotions

·     Journaling and writing

·     Talking to others

·     Taking deep breaths

·     Partaking in creative activities

·     Listening to music

·     Meditation

Each approach of expressing your emotions is tactful in its unique way. For example, when feeling happy, you may feel inclined to talk to others or listen to music. However, when you are feeling sad, you may feel more inclined to journalise. Irrespective of the selected method, expressing the emotion can help to avoid its overload.

Self-care involves intentional actions like sleeping, exercising and setting boundaries. Self-care is crucial as it promotes physical and mental health, reducing stress, burnout and disease whilst improving overall mood and energy levels. By prioritising wellbeing, individuals build resilience against life’s challenges and gain a more positive outlook to life.

As highlighted throughout the article, various factors contribute to an individual’s automatic response when suggesting they are “fine”, rather than expressing their true emotions.

People who hide their feelings often display passive aggression, awkward laughter, unnatural looking smiles, and nervous self-soothing to try and calm themselves and mask their true feelings.

These are the most apparent signs that someone can present with when they are not ready to express their emotions. Noticing them can help you in helping someone else through small acts of kindness that can change the trajectory of someone’s day.