This is an issue I am working on as well. In my family of origin, emotions were not encouraged. Expressing negativity often resulted in rejection, ridicule, or punishment. As children, we became conditioned NOT to feel. Stuffing emotions often results in somatizing. Your body will express those repressed emotions through physical maladies such as IBS, heart palpitations, etc. Poetgirl-it's encouraging that you are beginning to feel...keep at it.