Sometimes there are things we feel deep inside us but are often not aware of it superficially. Our repressed emotions can often find weird ways to show up. Sometimes, it can show up as a meltdown and that can be more of an expressive outburst. And sometimes, it can find other ways to show up that we might not even recognize. Our bodies and our emotions are intertwined more intimately than we can imagine. And that is the reason why one affects the other. Emotional pain often lingers in the soul and expresses itself through physical symptoms when not given a voice.
People go through bad times and it can deeply affect them. Some people can repress their trauma so much that their bodies can start exploding little by little. People can often misunderstand these manifestations as something health related. But in reality, our emotions can play a huge role in our physical well-being.
The Negative Effect Of Resistance
People love to think about positive things. Repressing one’s negative emotions and loading oneself up with positive thoughts to distract oneself might seem like a good solution, but it is not. It can be hugely detrimental to one’s health and emotions. Repressing the natural flow of emotions can often lead to negative outcomes and these outcomes can be physical at times.
Having a positive outlook towards life is a wonderful way of living one’s life. But repressing negative emotions and forcing oneself to feel positive while going through something bad in life is not a healthy way of dealing with pain or trauma. We are humans and we have been gifted with an incredible intellect that allows us to feel emotions like love, happiness, pain and loss. All these emotions are necessary for us to feel. So, repressing the emotions that make you uncomfortable is not a healthy way of dealing with one’s emotions. We must allow ourselves to feel bad when something bad happens and accept that as it comes. And then we can think of alternatives and ways of getting out of that pain. But acting like it didn’t happen will not allow us to be positive and happy, rather it will only make us emotionally repressed and stunted.
Physical Manifestations Of Repressed Emotions
When we suppress our emotions, our bodies can sense our push against the natural way of things. Our bodies experience stress when we emotionally force us to not feel things and suppress them. In such scenarios, our bodies activate our limbic systems which start producing chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline helps our bodies to prepare for fight or flight situations. Cortisol is a chemical produced primarily during stress conditions. This chemical can weaken our immune systems and make us vulnerable to many infections. It can start many chemical reactions that can often cause many negative effects on our bodies. It can increase the chances of inflammation and autoimmune malfunctions. This stress can increase our chances of having conditions like diabetes, arthritis, irritable bowel and stomach issues.
Cortisol and adrenaline can increase our heart rates and weaken our heart muscles. This can really affect our hearts. People with repressed emotions and stressed out bodies can experience a lot more muscle spasms, heightened heart rates and higher blood pressure. Some people can experience break outs on their skin. Pimples and rashes can sometimes be related to our emotions. So, some people with persistent and localized rashes like on their foreheads and other areas can face such things due to their emotional problems. Dermatologists also fail to help such people if the origin of their problems is emotion-related and not dermatological.
Acknowledging negative emotions is just as important as maintaining a positive outlook towards life. This will help you to find a balance between your positivity and your ability to deal with pain and trauma.
