“A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and  DOMINATE them.” – Oscar Wilde 

Suppressing Your Feelings is Detrimental to Your Health

Facts are facts. Surpressing your feelings is bad for your mental health, physical and most importantly, your emotional health. It isn’t healthy by any means it mentally drains you. We all know that feelings can be unpredictable, sporadic, and overwhelming at times. But, bottling up these intense feelings will eventually lead you to implode.

Not to mention, it can literally kill you. According to a study conducted by psychologists from Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Rochester, suppressing emotions may increase your risk of dying from heart disease and certain forms of cancer. Furthermore, negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, and depression can also attribute to health issues.

Of course, it is easy to say one thing, but actually putting in the time and dedication to change your mindset is another. First, figure out why you’re suppressing your emotions. Are you afraid of what other’s will think of you? Are you scared of hurting someone else’s feelings? Do you feel as though no one will understand you? The possibilities are endless. But here are a few other popular reasons you may be suppressing your emotions.

Other Reasons Why You May Be Bottling Your Feelings

• 1. You don’t trust people with your true feelings. Some people bottle their emotions because they feel they can’t trust anyone with their true feelings. To express your true feelings to someone is to be vulnerable, and that’s not an easy feat.
  2. You’ll believe those feelings will pass. WRONG! You might be one of those people who think those feelings will eventually go away on their own. So, what’s the point of expressing them? Well, by doing this you’re just forcing your feelings into a deep abyss that will eventually consume you. They won’t pass. They will fester until the negativity consumes your identity. Try writing in a notebook or picking up a new hobby as a way to express yourself.
  3. It’s in your culture. Some people were raised that showing emotion is weak. In some cultures, many people weren’t always raised to be upfront with our feelings. This can greatly affect connecting with others and showing empathy in the adult life.

Always say what’s on your mind and how you feel.  You never want to reach your breaking point. Life is too short to not express ourselves, whether that be by creativity or just simply having someone to talk to. A healthy mental state involves actively acknowledging your emotions and controlling them. You can’t control what happens in life but you can control how you react to it.

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