It’s so important to express your emotions. It’s a vital part of our mental well-being and is important in a range of different scenarios from self-care to decision-making, strengthening relationships, and even just general day-to-day interactions. For example, yes something in a shop may be annoying, but do you really need to take that out on a shop assistant?
Understanding and controlling your emotions is so important too, and healthcare professionals around the world have tons of advice on the subject. Controlling your emotions can help in so many circumstances and lead you on the right pathway in your life, whether it be that day-to-day living, or perhaps even recovering from and managing mental health problems or addiction. Emotion management practices at alcohol treatment clinics are common, for example, and invaluable in staying sober and in the recovery phase for the rest of a person’s life.
But what are the best methods for keeping your emotions in check, whether you are suffering from addiction, tend to have anger problems, or perhaps just go about your day-to-day life relatively carefree and want to keep it that way?
Analyze the impact of your emotions
There are many emotions that you may feel get out of hand. Strong feelings can be great if channeled correctly, but they can be a problem if not. One of the first things you need to do is look back retrospectively and see how you emotionally dealt with certain situations and scenarios.
If you think you have acted emotionally and in an uncontrolled manner, then note down what emotions you felt, what led to those emotions, and the impact those emotions had on yourself and those around you.
You will then be able to identify trigger points and be able to manage such instances much more effectively.
Accept your emotions
Emotions are uncontrollable to a degree. You will have them no matter what, so it’s about controlling them. Don’t try to downplay or ignore your emotional feelings, in fact, doing so is often the cause of those more extreme outbreaks that can be damaging.
If something is a big deal to you, it’s a big deal to you. The best thing to do is increase your own comfort levels around such emotions in order to feel them in their full form, rather than suppressing them, which can lead up to larger outbursts of the likes of anger and resentment.
Regulate those emotions
Once you have accepted you will emotionally react in certain ways, it’s all about regulating them and letting them out in the correct manner. Repressing emotions can lead to higher levels of anxiety, sleep problems and even substance misuse, which is how many people fall into the trap of addiction in the first place.
Don’t sweep them under the rug, learn to exercise control over them. That may mean stepping out of a room to calm down or having a support network to release your emotions and talk through them rationally. This can be hugely helpful in ensuring that you avoid any of the problems that can occur through repression, while also still fully feeling and letting out your emotions.
