Every single person thinks and feels, but not every person thinks and feels the same way. Older adults are not going to have the same thoughts as us college students, and we are not going to have the same thoughts as elementary schoolers. We are all going to be feeling different things based on these emotions, which is going to impact our lives in different ways. Unfortunately, many people of all ages struggle to fully feel, understand, process, and regulate their emotions, which can have many negative effects to our stress levels and on our physical and mental well-being (The School of Life, 2017).
What are thoughts and emotions? Thoughts and emotions go hand in hand, and we usually don’t experience one without the other. Thoughts are our ideas, opinions, and perspectives about the world (Lawson, n.d.). They can trigger different emotions in us, which can make us experience different feelings. It is important to remember that every emotion is healthy, even the sad or angry ones, as it means we are capable of feeling. However, healthy emotions can become unhealthy if they last longer than they need to, or begin to control your life and actions. To be emotionally well and experience emotions in a healthy way, you must be able to “feel and express the entire range of emotions, and to control them, not be controlled by them” (Seaward, 2006). If we are not emotionally well, we may have a hard time understanding our emotions or reacting to them in healthy ways. This can cause them to manifest inside our brains and bodies, leading to some unfortunate health effects (The School of Life, 2017). What happens when we are not emotionally well? When we are not emotionally well, our health can suffer. When we are overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions, In general, any negative emotions that have been repressed can be a source of chronic stress in our lives. Chronic stress can severely disrupt the body, damage the immune system, and even deplete our brain of the chemicals it needs to be happy (Lawson, n.d.). This is even scarier, since people with higher exposure to stress over their lifetimes tend to have worse mental and physical health (Sifferlin, n.d.). This, as well as a reduced ability to control and respond to negative emotions, can lead to conditions such as depression, anxiety, Alzheimers, or even schizophrenia later in life. Anger is one emotion that many people have a hard time understanding and processing, so there are many different coping mechanisms that people struggling with anger may use. For example, someone who suppresses their anger is may experience physical symptoms, such as migraines, ulcers, liver problems, or high blood pressure (Seaward, 2006). However, repressed anger can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, digestive issues, and higher risks of infection in anyone regardless of their coping mechanism, so it is important that these negative emotions are dealt with (Seaward, 2006). Benefits of practicing good emotional habits In spite of all the bad that can come from negative emotions, learning how to manage and control emotions, as well as an increased focus on feeling the positive emotions, can actually reverse all of the damage done. While genetics can make someone more predisposed to depression or negative emotions, we are just as capable of cultivating positive ones. Positive emotions can help us recover faster from and be more resilient to stress, get better sleep, boost our immune system, and provide an overall sense of happiness and wellbeing in our lives (Lawson, n.d.). Positive emotions such as forgiveness and gratitude can be attained with practice, and can help us feel physically and mentally better. In fact, one study found that if people who experienced a lot of stress were highly forgiving of themselves and others, “that characteristic alone virtually eliminated the connection between stress and mental illness” (Sifferlin, n.d.). As college students who are always dealing with one stressor after another, forgiveness is crucial for our self-care and the wellbeing of our minds. There is always going to be bad around us, but there is just as much good in the world to counteract it. If we can change our perspective and try to see the positives more than the negatives, our minds and bodies will be much healthier because of it. Help for developing emotional awareness The first step to developing emotional awareness is being able to identify and express what are you feeling. If you do not take the time to understand and know yourself and your emotions when they arise, it will be very hard to learn how to change or control them. By changing an external situation, switching our attention to positivity, or re-evaluating the negative emotions we feel, we can begin to change the unhealthy emotions to healthy ones (Lawson, n.d.). Practicing mindfulness or positive thinking can be two very useful tools in helping us accept our negative emotions and cultivate the happiness to replace them. Sometimes, this emotional work requires additional support, especially if you are struggling with a mental illness. My university has a Counseling and Psychological Support center with therapists and counselors who are trained to help students battling negative emotions find happiness and positivity in their lives. This may be something that your university offers as well, so take the time to look into it. Lastly, emotions are contagious, so if you are feeling good, be sure to spread the positivity around (Lawson, n.d.). You never know who around you may need it! References Lawson, K. (n.d.). What Are Thoughts and Emotions? Retrieved from:https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-are-thoughts-emotions. Lawson, K. (n.d.). How Do Thoughts and Emotions Affect Health? Retrieved from: https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-do-thoughts-and-emotions-affect-health. Seaward, B. (2006). The Emotions: From a Motivation of Fear to a Motivation of Love. In Essentials of Managing Stress (Chapter 3). Retrieved from: https://books.google.com/books?id=pVMcqXUEotIC&pg=PA43&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false. Sifferlin, A. (n.d.). Forgiving Other People Is Good for Your Health. Retrieved from: http://time.com/collection/guide-to-happiness/4370463/forgiveness-stress-health/ The School of Life. (2017, September 7). How to Process Your Emotions. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b197XOd9S7U
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AuthorHannah Brewington Archives
November 2018
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