Emotions are not always easy or pleasant and many times we can’t or don’t want to express them or even process them. The inability or unwillingness to process, accept or express emotions is called Emotional Constipation.
Credits - Soumya Gupta, Photo credits: Callum Skelton
This feeling of being bottled up can be a serious barrier to connecting with your own self and others. It takes a toll on your physical and mental health and may cause headaches, digestive issues as well as anxiety and depression. Hence, it is essential to take the right steps to move from emotional constipation to emotional connectedness.
Here are some ways which can help to achieve this transformation:
Physical exercise
Physical exercise helps us to release energy that has been accumulating in our bodies. Going for a run, kick boxing, dancing all are effective in dispelling the built-up energy.
Yoga also works very well as it brings energy and awareness to the chest, belly and hips and allows emotions to be released from deep within the body.
Keep a journal
Writing down one’s feelings, positive or negative, and their triggering events, will mean acknowledging these emotions. Psychologically just the act of putting emotions on paper leads to catharsis and reduces the choked-up feeling. This can be the first step in dealing with these emotions.
Seek professional help
The best thing to do if you are feeling emotionally stressed and out of control is to take counselling sessions with a therapist. A little outside help can break these barriers you have made around yourself. Therapy equips you with various ways of expressing your emotions effectively.
Aim for regulation rather than repression
When we suppress emotions we are denying feeling them and the unpleasantness they may bring along. This can happen consciously or at a subconscious level. Healthy emotional health requires us to find a balance between overwhelming and no emotions. Various methods including therapy and meditation can help.
Meditation
Meditation can help one connect with their inner self and feelings. In the meditative state, a person is more open to noticing feelings and accepting them without any judgment. This can make emotional regulation and expression easier.
Massage therapy
Unexpressed emotions can often become trapped in different parts of the body like shoulders, back or the head area and cause physical aches and pains. Massage therapy can help in releasing these knots and make one feel more relaxed. Regular massage also reduces cortisol levels, a hormone released by our body when we are stressed or anxious.
Emotional constipation can be uncomfortable and can affect you both mentally and physically, but it can surely be worked upon. Different methods work for different people and are best identified by the person themself. Undertake this journey of healing and wellness to make your life healthier, fuller and happier.
Did this article help you? Inculcate these practices in your journey towards releasing emotional constipation
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Picture credits: Mr lee, Fa Barboza,Toa Heftiba,Tim Goedhart,Jared Rice,Ale Romo
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