How to Tell the Difference Between Healthy and Unhealthy Emotions
Avoid aggressive or bullying behavior., Notice if you are acting passive or avoidant., Pay attention to your body when you're feeling overwhelmed., Check in with friends and family about your behavior., Notice how long your emotional reaction lasts.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Avoid aggressive or bullying behavior.
If you're angry, you may have difficulty controlling your emotions.
This could lead to unhealthy behaviors such as yelling, screaming, being combative, or bullying others.
While it's okay to feel upset from time to time, it's important to find healthy ways to respond to these emotions.
Consider stepping away from a heated situation or argument.
Think before you react.
Try setting a five-second rule, in which you must wait five seconds before responding.
Take a deep breath, and think about what you're feeling before you react.
Think about the possible consequences of those emotions that seem out-of-control.
Figure out if you are chronically aggressive or combative with others.
Are you often apologizing for your behavior, or have others commented on your temper? While being angry from time to time is a part of life, chronic stress and anger can be physically and emotionally draining on you and those around you.
Consider talking with a professional if your anger appears to be affecting your work or personal life. -
Step 2: Notice if you are acting passive or avoidant.
If you feel threatened or fearful of a situation, you may react by acting passively.
You may want to avoid confrontation.
In some instances, fear can help to provide safety from real danger.
But in interactions with friends and family, avoidant behavior may be emotionally unhealthy.Do you avoid calls or texts from certain people with whom you are supposed to be close? Do you wait until the situation is unbearable before speaking up? Do you find you often grow apart from people? Try to understand where your fear or anxiety comes from.
Does a person or situation trigger you to be passive or avoidant? These emotions may be natural if you have a dysfunctional relationship with someone.
For example, let's say that you avoid talking to your sister or seeing her at family gatherings.
Maybe this occurs because you've had many arguments before.
She may make you feel unwelcome or put you down about what you do.
While these avoidant emotions may seem unhealthy, it is actually more about the unhealthy relationship you have with your sister.
Focus on leaving your emotional baggage behind.
This can help you feel more empowered and less passive.
The less you focus on past grudges, the healthier you will be.
Work with a therapist to help you let go and more on. , Your body is a good indicator of what you're feeling emotionally.
You are the best judge of your own body and how it reacts.
Listen to the warning signs when you feeling stressed or upset.
With time, you can train yourself to notice these signs before you respond in an unhealthy way.When you're anxious, you may have racing thoughts.
You may feel sweaty.
Your heart rate may go up.
You may also be more fidgety.
These are signs that you need to slow down and step back from this moment.
If you're chronically stressed or upset, you may be more prone to getting sick, feeling tired, and having difficulty with sleeping.
Give yourself time to relax and heal from stress and illness.
When you're feeling good, listen to your body in these times too.
Notice how you may feel more energized, refreshed, and able to concentrate.
By paying more attention to your body, you can better understand how your mind and body are working together to create various emotional responses. , Think about if your emotions are often causing stress or pain in those around you.
Have friends and family told you that your temper frightens them, or have you had to apologize again and again for things you said or did when you were angry? Or have they told you how painful it is when you are avoidant and disappear from their lives? If your emotions seem to be negatively affecting your relationships with those you care about, then you are likely experiencing some unhealthy emotional responses., If a negative emotional reaction is triggered such as anxiety, anger, or depression, take note of how long these feelings last.
If they linger and last for two weeks or more, this may be an unhealthy emotional response.
While it's okay to be upset, anxious, or sad, a healthy emotional response will involve intense emotions that dissipate over a short period of time.
You should be able to go back to your normal responsibilities, like school, work, and family care relatively soon.
If your entire life is disrupted by your emotions, then you should speak with your doctor or therapist.
From time to time, everyone can get upset, anxious, or sad.
A healthy emotional reaction to negative things would last no more than a few hours or days.
It's not so healthy when it lasts for weeks or longer. -
Step 3: Pay attention to your body when you're feeling overwhelmed.
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Step 4: Check in with friends and family about your behavior.
-
Step 5: Notice how long your emotional reaction lasts.
Detailed Guide
If you're angry, you may have difficulty controlling your emotions.
This could lead to unhealthy behaviors such as yelling, screaming, being combative, or bullying others.
While it's okay to feel upset from time to time, it's important to find healthy ways to respond to these emotions.
Consider stepping away from a heated situation or argument.
Think before you react.
Try setting a five-second rule, in which you must wait five seconds before responding.
Take a deep breath, and think about what you're feeling before you react.
Think about the possible consequences of those emotions that seem out-of-control.
Figure out if you are chronically aggressive or combative with others.
Are you often apologizing for your behavior, or have others commented on your temper? While being angry from time to time is a part of life, chronic stress and anger can be physically and emotionally draining on you and those around you.
Consider talking with a professional if your anger appears to be affecting your work or personal life.
If you feel threatened or fearful of a situation, you may react by acting passively.
You may want to avoid confrontation.
In some instances, fear can help to provide safety from real danger.
But in interactions with friends and family, avoidant behavior may be emotionally unhealthy.Do you avoid calls or texts from certain people with whom you are supposed to be close? Do you wait until the situation is unbearable before speaking up? Do you find you often grow apart from people? Try to understand where your fear or anxiety comes from.
Does a person or situation trigger you to be passive or avoidant? These emotions may be natural if you have a dysfunctional relationship with someone.
For example, let's say that you avoid talking to your sister or seeing her at family gatherings.
Maybe this occurs because you've had many arguments before.
She may make you feel unwelcome or put you down about what you do.
While these avoidant emotions may seem unhealthy, it is actually more about the unhealthy relationship you have with your sister.
Focus on leaving your emotional baggage behind.
This can help you feel more empowered and less passive.
The less you focus on past grudges, the healthier you will be.
Work with a therapist to help you let go and more on. , Your body is a good indicator of what you're feeling emotionally.
You are the best judge of your own body and how it reacts.
Listen to the warning signs when you feeling stressed or upset.
With time, you can train yourself to notice these signs before you respond in an unhealthy way.When you're anxious, you may have racing thoughts.
You may feel sweaty.
Your heart rate may go up.
You may also be more fidgety.
These are signs that you need to slow down and step back from this moment.
If you're chronically stressed or upset, you may be more prone to getting sick, feeling tired, and having difficulty with sleeping.
Give yourself time to relax and heal from stress and illness.
When you're feeling good, listen to your body in these times too.
Notice how you may feel more energized, refreshed, and able to concentrate.
By paying more attention to your body, you can better understand how your mind and body are working together to create various emotional responses. , Think about if your emotions are often causing stress or pain in those around you.
Have friends and family told you that your temper frightens them, or have you had to apologize again and again for things you said or did when you were angry? Or have they told you how painful it is when you are avoidant and disappear from their lives? If your emotions seem to be negatively affecting your relationships with those you care about, then you are likely experiencing some unhealthy emotional responses., If a negative emotional reaction is triggered such as anxiety, anger, or depression, take note of how long these feelings last.
If they linger and last for two weeks or more, this may be an unhealthy emotional response.
While it's okay to be upset, anxious, or sad, a healthy emotional response will involve intense emotions that dissipate over a short period of time.
You should be able to go back to your normal responsibilities, like school, work, and family care relatively soon.
If your entire life is disrupted by your emotions, then you should speak with your doctor or therapist.
From time to time, everyone can get upset, anxious, or sad.
A healthy emotional reaction to negative things would last no more than a few hours or days.
It's not so healthy when it lasts for weeks or longer.
About the Author
Deborah Garcia
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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