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Feb 25, 2024 · Use “I” statements that help you own your feelings (“I feel sad” or “I feel angry”). Eventually practice with friends and acquaintances in moments of conflict. Speak from your ...
- Anger Management Tips
Anger is a very powerful emotion that can stem from feelings...
- Depression
An estimated 19 million American adults are living with...
- Anger Management Tips
- Overview
- Why does it happen?
- What kinds of emotions get repressed?
- Can it really lead to physical symptoms?
- How do I know if I have repressed emotions?
- Is it possible to release them?
- The bottom line
Repressed emotions refer to emotions that you unconsciously avoid. These differ from suppressed emotions, which are feelings you purposely avoid because you don’t know exactly how to deal with them.
Say you and your partner have a fight and decide to break up one evening. You still have to meet with an important client at work the next day, so you decide to suppress, or push aside, your feelings until you get home from that meeting.
Suppression can sometimes be a good short-term solution, as long as you make sure to address those emotions sooner rather than later.
Repressed emotions, on the other hand, don’t get a chance to be processed. But that doesn’t mean they simply disappear. Instead, they might show up as a range of psychological or physical symptoms.
Emotional repression often relates to childhood experiences.
Much of what children learn about behavior and communication comes from their primary caregivers.
So, you’ll probably feel pretty comfortable expressing your emotions if your caregivers:
•frequently talked about their feelings
•encouraged you to share how experiences made you feel
•normalized your positive and negative emotional experiences
For the most part, people tend to repress strong emotions, especially those associated with discomfort or other unpleasant experiences.
This includes emotions like:
•anger
•frustration
•sadness
•fear
“Hold on,” you might think. “My emotions don’t make me sick… do they?”
They actually can, in a way.
There’s no evidence to suggest emotions directly cause illness, of course. Sadness can’t give you the flu, and anger doesn’t cause cancer.
But research has linked emotional repression to decreased immune system function. If your immune system doesn’t work properly, you might get sick more frequently and recover slowly.
Repressed emotions can also factor into mental health conditions, such as stress, anxiety, and depression.
These issues often cause physical symptoms, including:
It’s not always easy to recognize when you’re dealing with emotional repression, and there’s no definitive test you can take.
If you do have repressed emotions, however, you might notice a few key signs. These signs might show up in your feelings or your behavior — both toward yourself and other people.
If you have trouble expressing or regulating your emotions, talking to a mental health professional is a good first step.
A therapist can help you explore potential causes of repressed emotions and offer guidance and support as you begin to address these reasons.
Therapy also provides a safe space to:
•work on naming and understanding your feelings
•increase your comfort level around talking about emotions
•learn more helpful methods of emotional regulation
It’s natural to want to avoid feeling bad. Plenty of people feel at least a little afraid of confronting deep, intense emotions, especially those they link to unpleasant or unwanted experiences.
While it may sound a little counterintuitive, learning to embrace those negative feelings can actually help improve emotional well-being over time.
Getting more comfortable with your emotions, even the ones that don’t feel great, can help you navigate the challenges of life more successfully while also improving your relationship with yourself and anyone else you care about.
Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.
- Crystal Raypole
Mar 6, 2023 · feel low and tired for no real reason, or are mildly depressed. experience low-level anxiety or ongoing stress. suffer from low self-esteem. have a mind that is foggy and unclear, or are forgetful and absent-minded. use self-destructive behaviours, such as overeating and drinking too much.
- Depression. Do you feel sad for seemingly no reason? Do you often feel hopeless and empty? Do you lack energy and motivation, even towards goals you have set?
- Subjugation. Some people have learned from their families, schools, or religion that anger is a bad or even immoral thing. They become afraid of the power of their own rage.
- Paranoia. Paranoia is a less known impact of repressed anger, but it can emerge. When someone has repressed anger, they can sometimes project it outward.
- Self-Righteousness. This kind of anger is quieter, and even if expressed, it is worded as ‘frustration,' or ‘annoyance.' When repressed anger is paired with perfectionistic or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, it may manifest in a self-righteous way, in which the person becomes highly critical of themselves and others with unrelenting standards.
Nov 15, 2022 · Here are 20 subtle signs you have repressed emotions, and how to release them: 1. Passive aggressiveness. You are passive-aggressive in upsetting situations. 2. Numbness. You feel numb and blank a ...
- Emily Francos
Sep 9, 2024 · Anxiety: Childhood trauma increases the risk of anxiety. Anxiety triggers a reaction where adrenaline courses through the body, telling it to fight or leave a situation. Your heart rate increases, and you may feel sick to your stomach. Childish reactions: Childish reactions may look like a tantrum.
Jun 15, 2024 · Here are some of the most significant signs of emotional numbness that you should look out for: Inability to express strong negative or positive emotions. Inability to “fully participate” in life (i.e., feeling like you’re a passive observer) Feeling that life is like a dream (a sense unreality) Living on autopilot.
