Exploring the Connection Between Your Mind and Body: Then and Now
People have been curious about how our thoughts affect our bodies for a long time. Back in ancient Greece, Aristotle figured out that our emotions can impact our bodies. And Hippocrates, also from that time, said that mental diseases were caused by natural reasons, not supernatural ones as many believed back then.
Nowadays, we’ve gotten better at understanding how our mental and physical health are connected. Scientific studies show that holding back our emotions can actually lead to health problems. More and more, experts agree that taking care of our emotions is just as important as taking care of our bodies.
If we look into the science of it, we can see how our emotions are linked to important systems in our bodies, like the brain, hormones, immune system, and digestion. For example, being anxious can increase a hormone called cortisol, and if this happens too much, it can be bad for our health.
While it’s good to control our emotions in our daily lives, what happens when we purposely hold them back? Let’s find out how not expressing our feelings can affect both our mental and physical well-being.
What Happens When You Hold Back Feelings
Feelings are our natural reactions to the world around us, like joy, sorrow, surprise, and more. Throughout the day, we experience a mix of these feelings.
Although scientists have identified 27 different feelings, we don’t always show everyone we feel. Sometimes, we push aside or change unpleasant thoughts and feelings, which is called emotional suppression. People use different ways, like watching TV, using substances, or doing physical activities, to distract from or cope with intense feelings.
Research shows that dealing with feelings in a healthy way, instead of suppressing them, can
be good for us. Being able to manage our feelings is important for our well-being and relationships. It doesn’t mean getting rid of feelings but finding flexible and sensible ways to handle them.
Sometimes, taking a moment to set aside our feelings while we think about things can be helpful. On the other hand, trying to ignore or forget feelings, especially from past experiences or childhood, can cause problems. It’s important not to ignore our feelings, as doing so can affect how we feel in the long run. Recognizing and understanding our feelings is a big part of living a well-balanced life.
Why Do We Hold Back Our Feelings?
People hide their feelings for different reasons. Sometimes, it’s to avoid showing a strong or socially inappropriate emotion. Other times, it’s an attempt to swap an unpleasant feeling with one that seems more acceptable. Our lives are influenced by what society expects, and problems like anxiety or feeling down can come from experiences where someone has mistreated us. People who’ve been through tough times might find it hard to deal with their past because it’s tough, or they were taught it’s wrong.
Holding back emotions is something many of us do at times; it helps us get through life. Society says we shouldn’t openly show strong emotions, like crying at work because we’re sad. In both work and personal situations, society expects us to keep our feelings in check. Whether we’re at work or dealing with family issues, there’s a rule to hide how we feel. In public, we’re supposed to be polite and not show anger, even though many people don’t know how to express their unhappiness in other ways.
So, people often hide their feelings to deal with things, fit into what society expects, follow rules, get by, avoid feeling embarrassed, or simply because some tough experiences are too painful to deal with directly.
Exploring What Happens When You Hold Back Your Feelings ?
It’s widely known that keeping your emotions inside can affect your body. While this might cause short-term issues, if you do it for a long time, it can lead to problems with your health and how you feel.
Think of it like when you have a deep tissue massage – stress can make your muscles tense. Similarly, if you keep your feelings bottled up, it can lead to issues like anxiety, sadness, and stress-related problems. This could even play a role in using substances or alcohol to cope, as explained in this article about childhood trauma and addiction.
Some people try to push away what they see as ‘bad’ emotions to avoid feeling hurt. But doing this all the time can be tough, and it can take a toll on you. It can make your body more active in a way that might not be good for you.
Research also suggests that holding back emotions might make a person more aggressive. Studies show that stopping yourself from feeling negative emotions can affect your heart and blood vessels.
In a study from , scientists found a link between holding back emotions and death. Feeling really sad for a long time was connected to cancer, while anger was linked to heart disease.
Another study, looking at people over 12 years, suggested that holding back emotions might mean a higher chance of dying, especially from cancer.
If you don’t deal with strong feelings like jealousy, fear, anger, guilt, or regret, it could have serious effects. Learn more about how not expressing these emotions might affect your overall well-being.
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