Don't we sometimes feel that bottling up our emotions can be an easy fix to situations, confrontations and conversations we don't really want to face? Well, it often leads to more harm than good, without us even realising it.
ALWAYS FEELING NERVOUS
Ever feel like there's a cloud of worry following you around? That's the result of pent up emotions. That stress gets suppressed to such an extent that even normal things start becoming intolerable. Instead of carrying around a heavy bag of worries, let's let out our feelings to make life less overwhelming.
MALADAPTIVE COPING SKILLS
Bottling up our emotions often make us adopt unhealthy coping mechanisms. Instead of dealing with our feelings head-on, we might start to find comfort in junk food, watch Netflix for hours, and even withdraw from near and dear ones. Although offering a quick fix, they make things worse in the future.
EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS
Days of swallowing our emotions eventually makes us a shaken bottle of soda - even the smallest of things can set us off. These outbursts may manifest as sudden anger, crying spells, breakdowns, or even unconsciousness; making it overwhelming not only for us but also for those around.
PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS
This does not just affect our >> minds but of course, our physical health too. The immeasurable stress can lead to cardiovascular issues like high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), and headaches too.
IMPACT ON RELATIONSHIPS
This also leads to us withdrawing from our family and friends. Bottled up emotions often make us avoid confrontations, making us close ourselves in our room, eventually making us alone, and affecting our relationship with others.
INCREASED RISK OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
When emotions are suppressed, individuals may turn to alcohol, drugs, or other substances as a way to cope with underlying feelings of discomfort.
COGNITIVE EFFECTS
Not sharing our emotions also affects our memory and concentration. The pent-up emotions start haunting us, impairing the brain's ability to retain information and making it difficult to focus on tasks at hand.
REDUCED QUALITY OF LIFE
Pent up emotions can lead to a diminished sense of well-being and overall life satisfaction. It also creates a loss of self identity and doubt within us.
