2023-07-02 03:01:48
When we experience intense emotions, we sometimes hide them instead of expressing them out of fear of the other’s reaction or out of shame.
The mind-body connection or how emotions affect physical health, and vice versa, is an obvious reality. We have all experienced at some time that unexpressed feelings later become a large backpack, which weighs us down and affects our well-being. We have also verified how they can influence our state of health, when after an argument our necks or jaws hurt or our appetite goes down. But why do we suppress emotions?
Dr. Graciela Moreschi, a psychiatrist (MN 41018), explained to Infobae that “in general, repressed emotions are all those that one cannot accept because they are negative. He silences them because he is afraid of looking bad, afraid of the other’s reaction, of not being loved, or has the fantasy that if he expresses them he would ‘destroy’ the other person. For example, a lot happens with fights. There is a fantasy that if anger is expressed it would hurt a lot, so the person keeps it to himself. The most repressed emotions are anger, rejection, frustration and shame.
For his part, Flavio Calvo (MN 66869), doctor of psychology, teacher, workshop leader and author, explained to Infobae that these are feelings that we avoid expressing or showing openly to others: “When we experience intense emotions such as anger, sadness or fear, sometimes we hide them and keep them inside instead of expressing, sharing or processing them; And this can happen for many reasons, perhaps fear of rejection, shame, or believing that expressing our emotions is a sign of weakness. Not wanting or being afraid to express oneself, in general, has to do with social or family mandates where an emotion or its communication has been prohibited.
The experts listed a series of diseases that come from emotions that are not expressed, such as functional gastrointestinal disorders, some psoriasis, idiopathic hypertension and functional cardiac arrhythmias / (Getty)
Meanwhile, Dr. Verónica Skochko, a psychiatrist from the UBA (MN 110113), head of the Hospitalization division of the Department of Mental Health and Coordinator of the Psychosomatic Medicine Unit of the Hospital de Clínicas of the UBA, told Infobae that before To talk about repressed emotions, one would have to understand what “normal” emotions are like.
“All emotions have two components: the psychic register, that is, being aware of the emotion that I am feeling (for example ‘I am distressed’, ‘I am afraid’, ‘I am furious’); and the somatic component, that is, the physical reactions secondary to emotion (chest pain, lump in the throat, tremor, increased body temperature, muscle tension). These physical reactions are beyond conscious control. We don’t decide to do them, they happen. Together, these components define emotions. The ‘normal’ thing is to feel that, the psychic record and the somatic reaction”, explained the doctor.
Social or family mandates can prompt people to suppress their emotions, experts warned
At the same time, he added: “When an emotion is blocked or repressed, it refers to the psychic non-registration, leaving only the somatic reaction in view, with no apparent explanation or understanding of the person who feels it. This results in concern for their physical health only.” “The entire spectrum of emotions that we can feel are likely to be repressed. From joy to fear and this is very subjective to each person and their story, ”Skochko noted.
Perhaps, on many occasions during the day, we decide to suppress what we feel: either to maintain the “peace” of the home, avoid work discussions or prevent a love breakup, to name a few moments. There are different reasons that lead us to adopt this behavior.
For Moreschi, there are several causes: “What leads us to repress an emotion is the idea of being out of place, of being ashamed, of making a fool of ourselves, that the other takes it badly, that we stop wanting or not belonging to a group anymore.” certain circle. “Love is also repressed, because one fears being unrequited. Especially it happens to young people when they are in love and this makes them feel ashamed. In general, one speaks of the negative, but a very important passion, a very strong feeling, can also be embarrassing ”, he indicated.
The most repressed emotions are anger, rejection, frustration and shame.
Dr. Skochko explained that repressing emotions has to do with prohibitive issues or family and/or cultural mandates: “For example, ‘don’t be sad’, ‘don’t be fearful’, ‘anyone who gets angry loses’ or ‘if you get angry’ I stop loving you’, appears in personalities predisposed or sensitive to taking these mandates without question”.
And he added another possibility: “It could also respond to a particular situation of the person in which the amount of anguish is difficult to be tolerated or the demand of the event does not allow it to stop being functional at that moment, it must ‘meet the expectations ‘. Therefore, it is necessary for the psychic apparatus to annul the emotional register”.
Agonizing chest tightness in the face of a situation that causes us anxiety, digestive discomfort after a fight, or tension headache after an exhausting day at work are the ways in which, on many occasions, the body “complains”. . But the origin is in what we feel.
The fear of unrequited love also influences the emotions that we keep quiet, experts warned / (Getty Images)
Dr. Skochko explained that the entire body can serve as a stage for the expression of emotions: “The skin, the digestive and respiratory systems, the cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems.” Although he clarified that “it would not be correct to speak of ‘storage’: emotions are not ‘accumulated’, they are expressed in their somatic component without the psychic record, the emotion being invisible to the subject, which does not give them the proper opportunity to preparation and processing.
For Moreschi, all emotion that is repressed returns to one: “Depending on the type of emotion, it will be in which part of the body it is felt. The quarrels, anger, disappointment and resentment are stored and, in addition to making us feel bad and often making us angry with ourselves, they become, for example, chronic pain and later illnesses”.
“I don’t think that a resentment turns into a cancer,” he clarified to the expert. “In general, this is repeated that repressed anger can cause cancer, which makes the person who has the disease feel guilty. There is a genetic and each one will respond according to it and its Achilles heel. Obviously, if one is in pain, resentful, perhaps this will manifest itself in an autoimmune disease, in pain, in fibromyalgia, gastritis, colitis, ulcers and above all it can be expressed in the gastrointestinal system, which is our second brain,” he explained. .
According to experts, the body becomes the stage for repressed emotions
For Dr. Skochko, “the effects are variable and we can talk about a panic attack, where the unrecorded emotion is anguish and only the typical physical symptoms observed in this picture remain visible: tremor, chest pain, sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath and palpitations”.
And he added: “Psychosomatic illnesses are also the result of blocking emotions. but in these cases as more stable and rooted behaviors in the personality, which generates pathologies that require treatment of the physical symptoms”. “Examples of this are psychosomatic asthma, functional gastrointestinal disorders, some psoriasis, idiopathic hypertension, and functional cardiac arrhythmias,” Skochko said.
For Dr. Calvo, meanwhile, “when a healthy emotion is repressed (fear, sadness, joy, affection), in the first place what are called substitute emotions arise, these are not healthy and have consequences for physical sensations and in the conduct. On the other hand, they also begin to have consequences on physical and mental health: emotion that is not expressed reappears in the form of a symptom. This can lead to problems such as increased stress, anxiety, depression, and decreased overall satisfaction with life.” “It is important to learn to recognize and express our emotions in a healthy way, either by talking to someone you trust or seeking professional help, if necessary,” the specialist recommended.
“In general, emotions are repressed due to the fear of looking bad, fearing the reaction of the other or not being loved,” explained Dr. Moreschi
For Moreschi, in the face of certain signs, a consultation must be made: “When one is already having physical symptoms, especially gastrointestinal, fibromyalgia and pain of all kinds, it is important to consult. Also when one feels that they cannot have a good quality of life, because resentment or unexpressed anger are deteriorating the bonds”.
In turn, Skochko stated that “when it comes to traits rooted in the personality, psychotherapeutic work is essential to deepen the insufficient psychic emotional register of these patients. This begins in the office of the specialist doctor who treats these pictures, who, in order to improve or alleviate these organic symptoms, needs interdisciplinary work with the mental health professional”.
In addition to psychological therapy, working on emotions through movement (dancing, yoga), practicing sports, oriental disciplines (martial arts, qi gong, tai chi), meditating walking, breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness, being in contact with nature, among other activities, can help release emotions.
Aerobic exercises, such as running or a brisk walk, generate neurotransmitters that promote a good mood
According to Moreschi, to achieve this goal, sports and art are excellent: “In addition, you have to learn to put words to your emotions, to be able to write what you feel, even if you don’t say it to others, writing is already a liberation.”
For his part, Calvo recommended expressing emotions assertively: “This means doing it with the duration, direction and intensity appropriate to what is happening.”
He even indicated that aerobic physical activity, such as running, walking or riding a bicycle, helps to release anger and anxieties, because they generate endorphins and serotonin, which are neurotransmitters that promote a good mood.
Finally, art is another ally. In artistic creation it is possible to disconnect from the rational and reconnect with bodily wisdom. Incorporating creativity into daily activities releases healing energies and makes us feel better about ourselves. As Pablo Picasso said: “Art washes the dust of everyday life from the soul.”
Keep reading:
How emotions are triggered according to neuroscience What is mental saturation and why it takes away energy and affects emotional health Learning to manage personal emotions: neuroscience proposes 4 exercises to achieve it
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