The Paradox of Rejecting Uncomfortable Emotions
“As a human being, it’s a virtual certainty that you’ve experienced two things at least once in your life (and probably a number of times): 1) Uncomfortable emotions of some sort, and 2) criticizing yourself for even feeling them. The team of researchers investigated the connection between how much people felt emotions that can be uncomfortable (e.g., fear, sadness, anger, shame, guilt, and anxiety) and the degree to which they rejected or disapproved of uncomfortable emotions (they referred to this as nonacceptance of emotion). They looked at the link between these two elements during the course of a day for five days. The researchers found that:
- There is a two-way relationship between feeling uncomfortable emotions and disapproving of them - the more people felt difficult emotions, the more they opposed them and vice versa
The research indicates the value of accepting difficult emotions - when we oppose uncomfortable emotions rather than allowing them, it’s linked with feeling more emotional discomfort later. In turn, when we feel more uncomfortable feelings, this is connected to more disapproval of those feelings. The researchers suggested there could be a mutually reinforcing, recurring pattern in which people struggle more, then feel more discomfort, then struggle even more, and so on.
So what can we take away from this? Although the research wasn’t experimental, the two-way link between rejecting feelings and the presence of uncomfortable emotions indicates that when it comes to how we feel, paradoxically, we may be better off not viewing those emotions as wrong. Instead, if we can allow such emotions to arrive on the scene without shunning them or opposing them, it might feel better than we’d think.”
Read the whole article at Psychology Today
#Emotions #MentalHealth #Acceptance
💬 What are things that can help us be more accepting of uncomfortable emotions?
@globalBraid3744
Hello there,
wow, this is such an important thing to mention and share. Currently, within psychology, there has been really popular acceptance and commitment therapy, along with creative hopelessness, it is a totally different methology than you have probably ever tried, but overall, it is more than worth trying.
I love this article, thank you so much!
Sending strenght and energy.
Lots of love,
🌸Hana🌸
@Livingtohelplive
Hello Hana! 🌸
Thank you so much for reading the post and taking the time to leave a comment. I have never heard of the creative hopelessness technique. Have you tried ACT and this technique yourself? What did you like the most about it?
@globalBraid3744
I always believed that if you feel the brunt of your emotions and accepted your feelings you won't have to deal with the lingering effects it may have if you perse have kept it in. For example instead of holding in your sadness for it to keep reappearing and interfering with your life why not let it all out at once? Subsequent encounters of sadness won't feel as discouraging as you know you already felt the brunt of the emotion beforehand.
@sunnyWriting4806
Thank you for sharing! I totally agree with you. There is even research evidence that suppression of emotions can lead to those emotions being even stronger the next time you encounter them. Even though I can understand that it can seem frightening to accept all emotions and let them out at once.
@globalBraid3744 This is very interesting. The old ball and chain, it seems.
This is a good reminder and a good reason for all to be more accepting of their present.
Thank you 🧡
