Manage Negative Emotions Using Written Emotional Disclosure

We are living in times of unprecedented social unrest (e.g., the pandemic, natural disasters, war, and other human-made acts of violence), which are affecting everyone. This unrest can cause trauma and often translates into unpleasant and strong negative emotional reactions, which can be difficult to express constructively and effectively—namely, sadness, fear, guilt, hopelessness, despair, irritation, and anger.

Blocking, ignoring, or misreading strong emotions precludes us from experiencing optimal mental health and psychological well-being, making smart life choices, forming and enjoying intimate relationships, and living a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Try the following exercise to help your brain process all the emotions you have.

Instructions

• Find a time and quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Ideally, choose a time at the end of your workday or before you go to bed.
• Commit to writing for a minimum of 15 minutes a day for at least four or five consecutive days.
• Use handwriting or type in your computer. (If you cannot write, you can also talk into a recording device.)
• Once you begin, write continuously. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or syntax—this is not an essay, test, or exam.
• Don’t worry about the content either, as you will never show or send this letter or piece of writing to anyone. The writing is for you and for you only. Its purpose is for you to be completely honest with yourself. Once you have finished the writing, you can burn it, throw it away, or keep it— it’s entirely up to you. Some people keep their samples and edit them; so, they gradually change their writing from day to day. Others simply keep them and go back over and over again to see how they have changed.
• If you run out of things to write about, just repeat what you have already written, or you can write about something different each day. It is entirely up to you.
• Completely let go and explore your feelings and thoughts. You might link this experience to your childhood, your relationship with your parents, people you have loved or love now, or even your career.

Caveat: Occasionally, some people report feeling somewhat sad or depressed after writing. Like when we see a sad film, this usually goes away in a couple of hours. However, if you find that you are getting extremely upset about a topic, simply stop writing or change topics.

KEY POINTS

• Today's social unrest often triggers strong negative emotions such as sadness, fear, guilt, hopelessness, despair, irritation, and anger.

• If unexpressed, negative emotions can cause depression and maladaptive behaviors.

• Written emotional disclosure can be an effective way to process strong negative emotions and past trauma.

Read the complete article here.

#negativeemotions #mentalhealth #journaling

💬 Have you tried any kind of journaling before ( e.g. gratitude diary)? What was the experience like for you?

💬 What are some techniques that help you cope with strong emotions?