Repressed Emotions vs. Repressing Emotions and Healing

There is a difference between the idea of repressed emotions and the action of consciously or unconsciously repressing emotions. It is unclear what repressed emotions are and where they are found, if anywhere in the body. But we all have probably experienced behavioral habits we use to try and resist our emotions when uncomfortable feelings arise. I have used various techniques to try and feel better, some that I thought were good for me, and some that I knew were bad, but they all made sense when I felt unsafe with my feelings.

This resistance to overwhelming emotional experiences is a healthy psychological response. No one wants to feel uncomfortable, and emotions can sometimes feel too much. So distracting from the discomfort makes sense until we understand that we are safe to feel our emotions. When we realize our uncomfortable feelings are safe, it is easier to see that emotions don’t cause problems. Instead, the habits we use as coping mechanisms to avoid painful emotions negatively impact our psychological and physical health over time.

Emotions aren’t dangerous. They are physiological expressions of thoughts we identify with and are healthy and normal. Our nervous system is designed to feel emotions. That is how it releases stress, stabilizes itself, and returns to equilibrium. However, the nervous system is not…