Life Can Be Tough on Our Emotions.

african-american-woman-crying From feeling pressure to succeed to wanting strong relationships or a satisfying job, we deal with a lot. But instead of learning how to handle our emotions, society often teaches us to avoid them.

We distract ourselves with things like social media, video games, alcohol, or even medication. If we do notice our feelings, we might ignore them with sayings like “get over it” or “be tough.”

The problem? Ignoring emotions can hurt both your mental and physical health. It’s like trying to drive a car with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake—eventually, something breaks down.

What Happens When We Avoid Emotions?

woman-with-muscle-tensionEmotions are powerful forces inside us that need to be felt and expressed. When we push them away, our body fights back. It might tighten muscles, make us hold our breath, or send us warning signs like anxiety or depression.

In fact, these mental health issues are becoming more common in the U.S. because so many of us don’t deal with our emotions properly.

Avoiding emotions also creates stress, which can lead to physical problems like heart disease, stomach aches, headaches, or trouble sleeping. Stress can even make autoimmune conditions worse.

Emotions Aren’t Something We Control

One important thing to understand is that emotions happen automatically. They come from a part of the brain that we can’t control.

brain-and-heart-connectionFor example, when you feel nervous before a big event or angry when something unfair happens, your body reacts before you can even think about it. This is because of the vagus nerve, which sends signals from your brain to your heart, stomach, and lungs to help you react to the situation.

Take Brian, for example. He was upset because he couldn’t afford the luxury car he wanted. He felt sad, angry, and embarrassed, but he didn’t realize his emotions were causing his stomach pain.

Through therapy, he learned to identify his feelings, name them, and process them one by one. By facing his emotions, Brian’s stomach pain went away.

Why Learning About Emotions Matters

Most people don’t realize how much their emotions affect them. But once you start to understand what you’re feeling and why, you can feel better.

The science of emotions is becoming more popular in therapy, but it’s still not taught in many schools or medical programs.

Here’s a basic lesson: emotions aren’t bad. They’re just part of how our brain and body work together to keep us safe and happy. You can’t stop them from happening, but you can learn how to handle them in healthy ways.

What Can You Do to Work with Your Emotions?

man-with-hands-on-heartThere are some simple steps you can take to feel better:

  1. Notice your feelings. Pay attention to what’s happening in your body. Are you tense? Is your stomach upset? These can be signs of emotions you need to address.
  2. Name your emotions. Are you sad? Angry? Nervous? Recognizing what you’re feeling can make a big difference.
  3. Let yourself feel. It’s okay to feel sad or angry. These emotions will pass if you let yourself experience them.
  4. Be kind to yourself. Don’t judge your emotions. Everyone feels upset sometimes. Practice self-compassion instead.

When Brian learned these skills, he was able to release his sadness about the car, understand his anger, and feel better about himself. His physical pain went away, too.

Ignoring emotions might feel easier at first, but it can cause problems in the long run. By learning to understand and work with your emotions, you can improve your mental and physical health.

Emotions are just part of being human, and when you learn how to handle them, life gets a lot easier.

Emotions Education Can Help

woman-making-a-heart-with-her-handsLearning about emotions and understanding how trauma impacts us can help prevent, reduce, and heal problems like anxiety and depression that come from difficult life experiences.

Emotion education is an important tool for healing the invisible struggles we all face. By improving how we understand and deal with emotions, we can make a big difference in our mental health and overall well-being—both as individuals and as a society. It all starts with learning about emotions.

Emotions 101—your first step to understanding how to feel and function better!

This course is designed to help you start looking inward and understanding your feelings. By learning these skills, you’ll begin a journey toward becoming your best and most authentic self.

The goal is to help you build confidence, grow your ability to be kind and compassionate, and improve your overall well-being.

Together, we can work toward a healthier and happier future—both for you as an individual and for our communities as a whole.

To learn more email support@teenaevert.com