Emotions can have a powerful effect on your life and your choices. During treatment, you likely learned how your emotions can influence your substance use. Instead of turning to substances, you discovered how to use healthy coping skills to deal with your emotions. Like a compass, your emotions can guide you in the right direction. You simply have to identify which direction you are ready to travel.
This blog post will explore four ways to recognize emotions and change the cycle of unproductive thoughts. What’s more, this post will help you know how to enlist the support The Guest House has to offer you as an alumnus.
How Do I Recognize What My Emotions Are Telling Me?
Sometimes feeling emotions can leave you overwhelmed and helpless. No one likes those feelings and most people want to get rid of them as soon as possible. This is one of the main reasons why addictions occur. Emotions are a language to signal to the body that something is happening around you. Perhaps emotions can be a way to signal danger or safety. They need to be attended to and cared for like a friend instead of avoiding them like an enemy.
What’s more, emotions are neither good nor bad. You are the one who gives meaning to the emotions you are feeling. For example, reading about your emotions may cause you to feel an emotion. Your body may be sending signals that you are uncomfortable or interested in this article. You instantly may decide if that feeling is “bad” or “good.” However, it is simply there, waiting to be acknowledged. Several things your emotions may be communicating to you include:
- Wise guidance to help you with decision-making
- Information about the quality of your connection with others
- Inspiration to take steps toward something you desire
No matter what emotions you feel, it is important to connect with them. It is easy to want to control emotions; however, not all emotions need to be controlled. Some emotions need to be felt within to teach you something about yourself. Take a moment to think about how you process emotions.
#1. Control Emotions Through Emotional Regulation
How you feel has a direct link to your actions. There are two responses when experiencing an emotional trigger or attempting to control emotions. Most people either react or respond immediately. For example, have you ever been around someone who always seems to have a smart remark? That person is often reacting with emotion. Learning how to regulate emotions takes time and practice, and with time you will better understand your triggers.
You will continue to react until you can understand what triggers your emotions. If there is no awareness about your emotions, you cannot change your behavior.
#2. Control Emotions by Practicing Self-Awareness
Something simple (yet difficult!) that you can do is name the emotions you are feeling. According to Psychological Science, just naming a feeling can put your mind at ease and make you feel better. This is one example of practicing self-awareness to calm and control emotions. When you are aware of the emotions you are experiencing, identifying the trigger becomes easy.
Notice how or where this emotion is present in your body. Perhaps your fists are clenched or your palms are sweaty. By acknowledging these sensations, you are starting to control emotions in a healthy way. You are putting a name to your feelings through self-awareness.
#3. Using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Control Emotions
If you want to increase your ability to control emotions, it is necessary to pay attention to these three things:
- Emotional triggers
- Thoughts relating to triggers
- Your actions as a result
Those three bullet points describe the practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). With CBT, you can take control of your responses and instead of reacting, respond wisely. To understand how to do this, it is important to reflect on your emotional triggers.
This can be done by practicing self-awareness in recovery in general and at The Guest House. At The Guest House, we believe that the transformed mind is the key to long-term recovery. Additionally, we believe in using a variety of ways to reach you as an alumnus.
# 4. Journaling Thoughts and Feelings to Identify Emotions
There is no other more personal and private way to control emotions than journaling your thoughts and feelings. Journaling provides a space of privacy that is between you and the paper. Setting time aside each day to reflect on emotional turbulences can provide a calming sensation throughout your mind, body, and spirit.
It is easy to want to avoid uncomfortable feelings. In addition, it can be easy to dismiss situations or people that cause a feeling you want to avoid. When journaling, you are free to write as little or as much as you want. There is no right or wrong way. It is up to you how your story starts and the way it ends. All you have to do is start.
Emotions can be hard to identify and sometimes even harder to process. Self-awareness is what allows you to connect your body to your emotions. Sometimes it is easy to ignore unwanted sensations in an attempt to control emotions. However, avoiding emotions is not beneficial for you or others around you. We understand that emotions are difficult to process and want you to know that we are here for you every step of your journey. There is no right or wrong; just a desire to be better than yesterday. If you or someone you know is struggling with being unable to control emotions, please give us a call at (855) 483-7800.