
When feelings have been denied for a long time, they can dominate and feel overwhelming when they begin to surface. However, by acknowledging and feeling emotions, you can regain control and prevent irrational fears of“coming apart”.
It’s essential to learn that feelings, no matter how overwhelming or scary they may seem at first, are only temporary when they first begin to surface.
Remember, the scariness of overwhelming emotions fades as soon as you accept and feel them. This acceptance can bring a sense of relief and prevent severe emotional disturbance from developing as a result of not experiencing your feelings.
People have difficulty expressing their feelings because often they grew up in families with overly critical parents who set unrealistically high or perfectionist standards.
Parental approval is so essential to every one of us that we will always suppress our natural reactions and feelings if they are in conflict with parental expectations.
As adults, many of us continue to make that choice. It's important to remember that you're not alone in this struggle. Anger is typically the most common feeling to be withheld because it was frequently not tolerated in childhood .
Photo by Brock Wegner on Unsplash
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