Many people do not realize the dangers of harboring emotions and choose to hide them. In fact, suppressed emotions can have a negative effect on physical and mental conditions, and often have a negative impact on relationships with other people.
Emotion suppression is a condition when your mind avoids, doesn't acknowledge, or can't express emotions in an appropriate way, either consciously or unconsciously. Some of the emotions that are often suppressed include anger, frustration, sadness, fear, and disappointment.
The habit of harboring emotions will not make those emotions disappear, in fact it will make them stay in your body. Instead of making you relieved, suppressing your emotions will actually make you feel more burdened.
Kinds of Dangers of Retaining Emotions
Though formless, emotions often have a profound effect on life. So, don't be surprised if harboring emotions that should be conveyed can have a negative impact on us. The following are some of the dangers of harboring emotions to watch out for:
1. Weakens the immune system
Retaining emotions will not directly cause a disease. However, this condition can weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to various types of diseases, ranging from minor illnesses such as colds to chronic diseases such as cancer.
2. Cause excessive anxiety
Constantly suppressed emotions can also cause anxiety disorders. Prolonged anxiety disorders cause the brain to produce stress hormones on a regular basis. This in turn can have a negative impact on physical health, such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing.
3. Cause depression
Negative emotions that are not channeled properly can also lead to depression. If you have reached this stage, negative emotions will turn into feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, and even feelings of wanting to end your life.
Symptoms of depression include feeling tired frequently, having trouble sleeping at night, and losing interest in things you normally enjoy. Depression can also cause various health problems, such as headaches, weight loss, and respiratory problems.
4. Causes various chronic diseases
High production of stress hormones due to suppressing emotions can also increase heart rate and blood pressure. If it occurs in the long term, this can put you at a higher risk for various chronic diseases, such as stroke and heart failure.
In addition, high stress hormones can also interfere with the process of sending signals from the brain to the intestines, so you become susceptible to digestive system disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
Expressing Emotions in a Healthy Way
To avoid the dangers of harboring emotions, there are several things you can do to release negative emotions, including:
- Ask yourself, what feelings are you feeling right now. This is important because you need to really understand your own feelings before you can share them with others.
- Try to express your feelings through a medium if you have difficulty expressing them in person, for example by finding a song that matches your feelings.
- Train yourself to express your feelings with sentences that begin with the word “I”, such as “I feel confused”, “I feel scared”, or “I feel disappointed”.
- Share your feelings with people you trust.
- Listen when other people are expressing their feelings, so you indirectly get used to being open and can apply it to yourself.
Try to apply the ways above to release emotions in a healthy way to avoid the dangers of harboring emotions. However, if you are still having trouble expressing your emotions, don't hesitate to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist.
