It is commonly known that bottling up painful feelings and memories can lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Being unable to confront our emotions, particularly those that are difficult, is known as emotional avoidance.
The consequences of suppressing emotions
When we avoid feeling certain emotions and processing them, it can have far-reaching consequences on our lives, particularly on our relationships with others, at work, and on our personal growth.
Many of us know the feeling of suppressing emotions or using distraction to avoid underlying feelings that are difficult to face. Rather than fully feeling our emotions, they linger and create what is commonly known as emotional baggage if we bury them. For many, this means they are held back in life, struggle to be intimate with others, are unhappy, and may even experience physical symptoms.
Certain life events can cause anxiety when you think about them. While not confronting these painful memories can work in the short-term, the anxiety you feel in future is likely to increase.
Avoiders v fighters
Emotional avoidance is aligned with the fight-or-flight response in nature, with some people ignoring any unwanted emotions, leading to bottled-up feelings eventually exploding into passive-aggressive behaviour.
Others are fighters, who avoid losing control of any emotions, especially anger. While they may be aware of these difficult feelings, they are terrified of them and may lash out when triggered by a memory.
Treatment
If someone recognises that they are emotionally avoidant, they may choose to see a mental health professional for help in dealing with it through talking therapy. They can also learn how to recognise the negative patterns and deal with them before they become a problem.
Anyone looking for mental health training courses Blackpool that look at understanding emotional avoidance can visit Tidal Training or another healthcare training specialist.
Despite a much more open culture, emotional avoidance is widespread. Societal norms about keeping our feelings in check and not becoming over-emotional add to this, so it is important to be self-aware and take action if it is impacting your life.