Many try to avoid their negative emotions because they can make them feel depressed, anxious, worried, or stressed. However, while it may not be pleasant to feel these emotions, they are essential to experience both for your mental and physical health. Holding in negative emotions or avoiding them will only make them stronger, causing you more distress. Unhealthy coping mechanisms used to avoid them can lead to further troubles later. So, instead of avoiding negative emotions, learn the embrace them.
Effects on the Body
Studies show that holding in your negative emotions or avoiding them can result in numerous health problems, including early death. Bottling up your feelings can lead to stress, which can lead to other physical concerns if not treated. These health concerns include:
- Heart problems
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Difficulty sleeping
Emotional Effects
By avoiding your negative emotions, you will cause them only to grow stronger until you are forced to face them. For example, you shouldn’t hold in your anger, as the feeling will intensify over time; the smallest thing can make you explode. This can cause you to take your anger out on someone or something that you may not even be mad at. Lashing out at others can cause strain in your relationships and with yourself. It can also cause unnecessary stress that can be released by facing your emotions.
Consequences of Bottling Things Up
Many individuals try to cope with their negative emotions by using things to provide temporary relief. Often, people turn to drugs and alcohol to help them escape what they are feeling at that moment. However, this can cause further problems as the effects of extended substance abuse can make mental health disorders worse and the negative emotions already at hand. The best way to handle this is to get help and learn proper coping mechanisms to properly express your emotions without drugs or alcohol.
Negative emotions are not pleasant to feel, but they have numerous benefits for you. Trying to avoid or hold them in will only cause you problems in the future regarding your physical, mental, and emotional health. If you find yourself turning to drugs or alcohol to avoid negative emotions, get help today. Alta Loma Transformational Services can help you turn your life around. Our structured environment and personalized care will help you see the silver lining in your current dark world. Call us today to learn more and begin your journey to recovery at (866) 457-3843.
