"Emotional suppression can have a negative effect on an individual physically, mentally and socially," (My Sahana, 2011)
Common Signs that You use Emotional Suppression to Cope
- You distract yourself as a way to keep yourself from reacting to a situation.
- You avoid talking about the situation because you don't want to feel negative emotions.
- You avoid places, people or objects that remind you of the negative emotion(s).
- You use substances such as alcohol or other illicit drugs to numb the pain.
Negative Effects of Bottling Up Emotions
- Increased intensity of existing emotions.
- Less aware of social cues present in daily conversations.
- Experiences of high anxiety and depression.
- Increased physical stress in your body.
- Communication skills often decline, resulting in unhealthy patterns in relationships.
- More misunderstanding in conversations with others.
Benefits of Crying
- Imroves your mood
- Increases bonding and connection
- Relieves stress
- Flushes out toxins and bacterias
- Helps you grieve
- Lowers blood pressure