Emotional Release And The Benefits To Mental Health
Life can be stressful and challenging from time to time. As humans, we all face situations that cause us to experience negative emotions like fear, anxiety, and stress. When we don’t know how to deal with these negative emotions properly, we can end up allowing the negative emotional energy to build up within us. If you’re feeling tense, stressed, and anxious, you may need an emotional release.
What is emotional release?
If you are someone who chooses to ignore stressful situations instead of dealing with them when they arise, you may be “stuffing” your emotions. While you may think that you are handling the stress that comes your way, trouble could be brewing inside. You may appear calm and cool on the outside, but the emotional energy you’re storing is likely to catch up with you.
Emotional release is a phrase that may be used to describe the process of identifying and letting go of these pent-up emotions. Though not well studied, some believe that developing conscious awareness of this emotional energy and focusing on releasing stored emotions can aid the healing process.
Why stress and trauma can feel physical
Research has shown that bodily memory from stress and trauma can contribute to the development of physical manifestations of mental health problems, such as pain, tension, and discomfort, even without a conscious memory of the traumatic event. Other physical symptoms of stress can include chest pain, trouble sleeping, digestive problems, and headaches. Below, we take a closer look at how trauma affects the body and why it can feel physical.
The sympathetic nervous system and the stress response
The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body’s fight-or-flight response. When activated, the fight-or-flight response causes the pupils to dilate to allow more light in. Heart rate and blood pressure increase, and the muscles in the airway relax to help deliver more oxygen to the body. The digestive tract slows down to save energy, and the liver releases energy stores that can be used quickly.
The fight-or-flight response can also be triggered by fear, stress, or anxiety, but how trauma impacts the body can be more severe.
How chronic muscle tension shows up in the body
Stress of trauma stored in the body can contribute to a number of problems in the bones, muscles, and body tissues, including physical pain, muscle tightness, unexplained aches, and other physical discomfort. It can also lead to flare-ups of other conditions, like arthritis or fibromyalgia.
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Common signs you may need an emotional release
Emotional signs
- Feeling anxious or depressed
- Difficulty concentrating
- Social withdraw
- Extreme emotional reactions
- Feeling hopeless
- Using alcohol or drugs to cope
Physical signs
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Sleep problems
- Getting sick more than usual
- Rashes
- Acne
- Chest pain
- Rapid heart rate
- Body aches and pains
- Clenched jaw
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Shortness of breath
- Changes in eating habits
- Low sex drive
Ways to release emotions in the moment
Knowing that emotional energy can impact your physical and mental health probably isn’t enough to help you process it. If you’ve been in the habit of not processing your emotions, you may not even know where to get started. The following are some things that you can do on your own to try to start working through your emotions and finding that emotional release.
Movement, breath, and grounding.
- Movement. Evidence shows that physical activity can bring significant relief for stress by boosting mood, reducing tension, and improving sleep. Many types of physical activity can be beneficial, including walking, jogging, hiking, yoga, stretching, and swimming.
- Breathing exercises. Various breathing exercises can help with stress, including diaphragmatic breathing, alternate nostril breathing, box breathing, and 4-7-8 breathing.
- Grounding exercises. Grounding techniques are exercises that can help calm anxiety by bringing you back to the here and now. Some examples include imagining you’re in your happy place, stretching your limbs, listening to music, or doing something creative.
Complementary perspectives
Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of seeing emotions as energy stored within specific organs of the body. In traditional Chinese frameworks, unprocessed emotions can disrupt the flow of the body's vital energy, manifesting as physical symptoms. Practices like acupuncture may help release stored emotional energy and restore balance, but it can be important to remember that these interventions are not a replacement for professional support.
one or more self care & clinical tools
Expressive outlets and connection
Writing about your emotions can help you become more aware of what you’re feeling. If you’ve been repressing emotions for a long time, you might be tempted to resist exploring them in this way because it might not be easy to pick a situation that you feel connects with your emotions. That’s okay. If you’ve been feeling stressed and anxious recently, but you aren’t sure why, you can simply journal about your day or week.
Set the timer for 20 minutes and get writing. Many people find that as they write about different situations, they’re able to find the emotions that they had within the situation. Not only does this help you to become more familiar with the emotions that you’re feeling, but it can also help with releasing stored emotions you’ve built up from that situation.
Releasing trauma with support
Trauma can be difficult to manage on your own. If you’re experiencing symptoms of trauma, like feeling distant or detached, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, feeling nervous, or getting easily agitated or upset, consider talking to a professional for support as you navigate the healing process.
Talk therapy and trauma recovery goals
While friends and family can be helpful, there are times when you may not want to discuss personal matters with those who know you. This is a time when talking to a therapist could help in achieving emotional healing and establishing recovery goals. If you find in-person counseling unavailable due to cost, time, convenience, long waitlists, or readily available due to mobility concerns or location, online therapy provides an effective resource for support from licensed therapists. With online therapy, individuals can receive the mental health support they need, all from the comfort of their own homes or anywhere they have an internet connection.
Somatic Experiencing and body-based therapy
One therapy approach that may be used with trauma survivors is somatic experiencing. This type of therapy has emerged as a promising treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It focused on modifying the trauma-related stress response; that is, the period when a person's coping abilities are completely overwhelmed. While this approach to therapy is still being studied, recent research suggests it may “be effective in reducing traumatic stress, affective disorders, and somatic symptoms and in improving life quality.”
EMDR as an option for trauma processing
Another therapy option for trauma survivors is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. This method involves moving your eyes in a particular way to help the brain process traumatic memories, thus helping you heal from trauma. EMDR is relatively new, and it can be used in trauma recovery (for example, childhood trauma), but it may also be effective for treating anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
A mental health professional can help deal with your emotions
Experienced mental health professionals, such as licensed therapists, are knowledgeable in different types of therapy that can help guide you through this process. You don’t need to do this on your own. If you feel uncomfortable going to see a therapist in person to talk about your emotions, you may want to try working with an online therapist like those at BetterHelp.
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Online therapy for mood disorders and other mental health conditions
Online therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy. Research found that online interventions were effective in the management of a range of concerns and conditions, including depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders, with the potential to open up to those who might not otherwise have been able to receive the help they needed.
Whether you choose to seek in-person or online therapy, you may find yourself closer to releasing emotions in healthy ways.
Takeaway
What is emotional release?
Emotional release refers to the process of letting go of trapped emotions or emotional baggage through various means, often resulting in a sense of relief or catharsis. It can be an essential part of emotional processing and contributes to one’s overall well-being.
What are examples of emotional release?
Examples of emotional release may include crying, screaming, talking through difficult emotions, engaging in physical activities like running or hitting a pillow, and creative outlets like painting or writing to help alleviate emotional pain. Having a friend or loved one with whom you can share your thoughts without blame can also be another way to release emotions. Intentional movement, such as stretching, yoga, and walking, can also help. Repetitive physical and intentional movement can trigger the release of endorphins, which can boost one’s mood. It can also increase one’s body awareness and control, making it suited for individuals experiencing physical and mental health concerns. Allowing your feelings to flow can lead to a sense of relief, helping you process any stored trauma from past experiences.
If you’re a parent, you can help and guide your child through emotional release by encouraging open communication and creating a safe space for them to express their feelings. Validate their feelings and help them understand that the world can be unfair sometimes. Teach your child healthy coping strategies and encourage them to engage in regular physical activity. Be patient and consult a mental health professional if necessary.
What does it feel like to have an emotional release?
Experiencing an emotional release can bring on a combination of physical sensations and an emotional experience, such as a lightening of bodily tension or a sense of peace. It is common for a person to report feeling “lighter” or more connected to their true self after releasing pent-up emotions. Emotional release is suited for anyone experiencing emotional pain, unprocessed trauma, grief, frustration, or a huge intensity of pent-up feelings.
How do I give myself an emotional release to be relieved from anxiety or depression symptoms?
To give yourself an emotional release, first identify the painful feelings or issues you’re dealing with. Such painful feelings may be caused by regret, grief, loss, or traumatic memories. Then, choose an appropriate outlet to channel and release your emotions, such as talking to a friend, journaling, spending time in nature, or engaging in physical exercise. This can help with a better mind-body connection. Therapeutic approaches guided by mental health professionals can also help the brain heal from emotional pain.
Is crying a good emotional release when you feel stressed?
Yes, crying is often considered a healthy form of emotional release. It is a mechanism that allows a child, teenager, or adult to express their feelings. It allows for the expression of emotional pain and can result in a feeling of relief, potentially aiding in creating bodily maps of well-being. However, more research is needed to understand its benefits fully. In addition to crying, individuals may also scream into a pillow, dance, practice mindfulness, go for a walk, or travel as a way of emotional release.
Why do I cry during a massage?
Crying during a massage is common and is often linked to the mind-body connection. As muscle tension is released, trapped emotions or memories may surface, triggering tears as a form of emotional release.
How do you release trapped emotions in the body?
As explored in the article above, there are various ways to release stored emotional energy, including breathing exercises, physical activity, grounding exercises, and journaling. If you have tried these methods and are not feeling relief, consider working with a mental health professional.
How do you know your body is releasing trauma?
As trauma is released from your body, you may feel a variety of sensations, including decreased muscle tension, improved sleep, a sense of feeling lighter, and reduced reaction to triggers.
What happens when you suppress your emotions for too long?
Suppressing your emotions for too long can have a range of effects, including physical health impacts like increased risk of inflammation, hypertension, asthma, and ulcers, as well as mental health effects, like increased anxiety and depression.
How to trigger emotional release safely if you have childhood trauma?
If you have experienced childhood trauma, you might try journaling, grounding exercises, deep breathing, letter writing, or creative expression to release emotions. However, the emotions associated with childhood trauma can be intense, so you may want to consider working with a mental health professional.
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