Human emotions: How they work and mindful strategies to try.
Understanding human emotions and developing mindful strategies to regulate them is crucial for maintaining emotional well-being. Here's a closer look at how emotions work and some strategies for effective emotional regulation:
The Emotional Brain: Wise Owl and Barking Dog
Understanding how the emotional brain functions is the first step in regulating emotions. The emotional brain consists of three main components:
Prefrontal Cortex (Wise Owl): This part of the brain is responsible for logical reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Limbic System (Barking Dog): The limbic system, including the amygdala, is the emotional processing center of the brain. It triggers emotional responses, including fear and anger.
Brainstem: The brainstem responds to signals from the limbic system and plays a role in regulating physiological responses.
When strong emotions are activated, the "barking dog" (limbic system) can overpower the "wise owl" (prefrontal cortex), leading to impulsive and reactive behaviors, such as fight, flight, or freeze responses. To regain control and exhibit appropriate behaviors, one needs to learn emotional regulation skills to bring the "wise owl" back into action.
Strategies to Regulate Emotions:
Self-Awareness: The first step in emotional regulation is self-awareness. Recognize and label your emotions. Understand what you are feeling, whether it's sadness, hopelessness, shame, anxiety, or other emotions. Simply being aware of your emotions can be a powerful tool for self-regulation.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness involves being present in the moment and observing your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing, meditation, and sensory relaxation, can help calm intense emotions and guide your actions in a more constructive way.
Cognitive Reappraisal: Cognitive reappraisal involves changing the way you think about a situation. This is a fundamental aspect of therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Anger Management. It encourages greater acceptance and flexibility in your thought processes. Techniques may include thought replacement and looking at stressful situations from a new perspective.
Self-Compassion: Being compassionate toward yourself is essential for emotional regulation. Practicing self-compassion involves acknowledging your strengths and virtues, allowing your mind to be more flexible, and changing the way you react to your emotions. Techniques for self-compassion include positive self-affirmations, relaxation exercises, compassion meditation, self-care routines, and gratitude journaling.
Emotional Support: Seeking emotional support is important, both from within and from external sources. Practicing mindful self-awareness can provide internal support by helping you understand your emotions. However, when internal coping mechanisms aren't enough, seeking help from friends, family, or a mental health professional can provide valuable external support. The goal is to create a positive emotional support system that enables you to manage and express your emotions in a healthy way.
Remember that emotional regulation is a skill that can be developed and improved with practice. It's okay to seek help when needed, as professional guidance can provide valuable insights and strategies for effectively managing your emotions and responses.