Welcome to Coping with Emotions

oooh yes this is a good forum, I am so out of touch with my emotions, I get angry when i'm hurt, I too get overwhelming emotions and feel like i'm about to explode into tears and don't know why

Hi Drew Angel, emotions can be pretty tricky. You might google "emotional regulation". There are a number of techniques that you can use so that feelings don't feel too overwhelming. Deep breathing is one technique. Put your hand on your stomach and fill your belly up with air slowly and then slowly exhale. If you do that for a couple of minutes, then you will likely start to feel more grounded. Hope this helps!

When I step away from the present moment, then I become vulnerable to the anxiety of the future and the regrets of the past emerge. I become untangled, comparing my life as it is with what it used to be, which générâtes a lot of frustration. As often as I can, I take a moment to calm my mind by becoming conscious only of my breath, and only then, can I feel the peace of mind.

My anxiety about the future has to do with my daughter going to college and then off to her career. It is not separation but has more to do with did I equip her with enough to be successful.

I get staying in the present provides relief. What I don't get is how to measure the reality of the situation and come to a more informed decision.

thanx doc John!
at the moment i feel like doing the opposite of what i would like.
grocery is about to close & i am doing everything not to dress up and make it on time.
i seem to dislike myself- if not hate

I have been apathetic for several years. Now that I am coming out of it I mainly feel sad and sometimes anger. Neither one is serving me well but at least I am feeling something.

I no that there is a way to cope without the medications. The side effects are too much, and now that I have been off them for about five weeks. I feel normal again, it's been close to twelve years since I have felt any kind of hope. I know that if I were still on my meds, I would still be suicidal and depressed. This past year has been the worst. My depression worsened even with medications. They seemed to be getting worse and my paranoia was so bad that I couldn't go anywhere without feeling that I was been judged by everyone I seen. Now, I don't have much paranoia and I feel hopeful about living again. I had made a choice that no matter how bad things got for me in my head, I wouldn't make my daughters live with knowing their mother killed herself. So I continued to suffer every day, because I didn't want to live any more, but I am not selfish enough to make them live with my mistakes. I couldn't put that on my girls. So, I decided that I would suffer through and just keep hoping that it would happen naturally (car accident or something like that). Now, I am glad that nothing did take me from this world.

When I was on my meds, I swore by them. I worked with people with mental illnesses, and always told them to stay on their meds. But, now that I have been off mine and I feel so much better. I have down moods but not like they used to be. I didn't see a future for me of any kind, but now I can see it. There are natural ways to cope with depression and so far it's been working. Knock on wood. Life seems possible now.

I am not suggesting that anyone else should stop their meds, because everyone is different. It kind of happened before I knew it. I was just to busy with packing and moving that I didn't notice the side effects that come when I miss my meds weren't there. My mind cleared up, I can remember what I was doing or saying, I don't feel like I am going to cry all the time.

The symptoms that I have noticed sense I've been off my meds, are this zippy feeling like I'm doing a back flip with my eyes closed and the heart break that I feel for the human race and the selfish path it is taking. I have always felt that there was some purpose for me, a reason that I have survived so much in my forty years. That is my next obstacle finding out why, I feel that I need to make a difference. Anyone else have that........feeling of a higher purpose? Like I am meant to do something important and that's why I have survived what most shouldn't have.

wow this is something new, really interesting. until lately i only thought that there's only two emotions allowed to be shown, happy and anger, proven wrong but i'll learn. hopefully will learn more in this thread

I'm very sensitive about emotions. I can get caught up in someone's issue and not realize I'm more emotional than the person who is sharing their feelings.

I don't know if this will help or not, but if you need to cry more, I think you should do so. If you need help getting this/these sad feelings out, so maybe listen to very sad songs, all you can think of. My fave (but not really) sad song is "Old Shep" (I think that's the name) by Elvis Presley. Listen to the sad songs, lament why you feel sad and cry, cry, cry. Try Pandora.com where you can make your own radio station and request songs and singers, musicians. Think of the times your heart was broken, painful memories, etc. Despair is hard, but it you can perhaps get 'cried out,' maybe you will end up not in despair. Holding in feelings we are afraid of or dread is very harmful. Do not despair, there is/are always hope and love and friendship and beautiful things in this world.
For myself, I cannot cry because of the prescriptions I am taking. Haven't been able to cry for years with one exception: when I've had to put down one of my beloved cats. But not even when my mother died could I cry.
I very much wish I could cry. I know it would help me to feel better.
This is just a suggestion, but may be worth trying, I don't think it can't hurt if you know what your intention is...
PrairieCat

I'm always anxious and depressed and always feel alone. i though my family understood about it but i don't think they do with the comments they make to me lately. I've been cutting recently and I've also been feeling angry with myself and others. I'm not sure why i cut drink and take advantage of meds i don't use or need anymore but i do know it's the way i deal.

Lately I've been having trouble coping with emotions. Due to the abuse I went through with my ex boyfriend I have trouble coping. Often times find myself feeling angry and sad a lot of the time. Sometimes I'm also paranoid thinking that everyone is against me.

when I was 5 I was called a crybaby all too often. I made a vow that I would NEVER cry again. when I was growing up emotions were a sign of weakness, and were to be exploited by anyone and everyone. at least that is what I was taught. (you're crying? I'll give you something to cry about!) so I cut them out of my soul. other life events reinforced that decision, like going to my girlfriends house at the age of 16 and being introduced to her fiancé.

now at 51 years of age, I think I might have actually killed my inner self because both of my ex-wives have told me "nothing bothers you, it just rolls off your back, no matter how horrendous." "you have no emotions!" 46 years that vow has held. I couldn't even get "misty" when my favorite grandmother died!

the vow I made when I was 5? at 51 I still cant cry no matter how hard I try except for a single incident. I had to "put-down" my favorite cat on Christmas day 2012. (he was suffering horribly and dying, and I could not watch him suffer)

I know I need a good cry, but I can only get "right up to the edge" and never go all the way. no matter the song, or movie, or even Gordon Ramsey! I get to the edge and never past it. even lame commercials do that to me. sometimes I will be staring at my computer screen like a zombie (slack mouth drool etcetera) and that is all it takes to get to that edge, but no further. I know it is a combination of my environmental conditioning, and the vow I made at 5 years old, but that 1 - 2 punch seems unbreakable.

so at 51 I am regretting what I did at 5. and since a vow is a lot stronger than a promise, think first before making one. you do not want to end up like me.

Hi. I hope you are doing well today. I am on the other end where emotions control me and tears flow when I don't even want them to or know why! BUT, something that caught my attention is what you said at the age of 5 - and you were taught crying is a sign of weakness. OMG; how horrible! I have a close friend that just said those words to me that she has learned to suck it up bc crying is a sign of weakness her new boyfriend has told her. I totally disagree .. crying can cleanse the soul .. and it shows you are human. I understand you took that vow at 5 .. but I look at it kind of like at 5 or even 10 I said I was going to be a teacher no matter what...life changes, things change .. even though that "vow" was taken at 5 for you..does not mean you can't change it. Don't hold on to that that was so many years ago. Now, of course I don't have an answer to make you "cry" .. just as I have no answers why I could cry any day at any time...but through therapy and a leap of faith I have learned to truly try and deal with the emotion to myself .. feel it .. and LET IT GO. I just hope you will take it to heart that crying is not a sign of weakness. You are Human. It's totally normal. I hope that you have a great day!!!!!

I totally agree with you, and I have enough self awareness to know that I need a good therapeutic cry. trouble is I still cant do so. not even my therapist has been able to put me on a road to where I might one day be able to cry. so i am left with romantic comedies, action, and sci fi movies to get me as close as I can get in the hope something will break the dam.

knowing it is ok, and being able to do it are sometimes different things.

I thank you however for your input.

Are you familiar with THE INNER CHILD? The child within me and I have not been getting along. It all began when my baby sister was born and I was forced into the adult responsibilities too soon. I was only ten years old, but had no time to live my childhood of fun and adventure. Whenever I tried to express my feelings... I was punished by my mother and abused severely, so I shut out my inner child and became ashamed and scared. Sometimes I asked myself, "Why am I alive"?

Thankyou for this thread.

There are times when I can't even name my emotions but I have learned through various techniques that it doesn't matter too much to have the 'normal' names for them. You can always say it how it is - and also perhaps accept what's happening without judging.

For example; I have this 'runaway train slowing to a stop' feeling right now. I experience this when I manage to hit the 'calming' brakes when I hit overwhelm. When I want everything to stop because it's just too much. I don't know exactly what that emotion is called but I do have a metaphor for it and that always helps me.

Anger has often caught me out but I've been working well at keeping it to more manageable levels over the years. Meditation works really well over time but the physical pulling the runaway train brakes has been a top technique for me.

As for despair, I'm straight out into the open air to connect with nature - no matter what the weather.

Hope that's of some use DrewAngel.

Hello all!!

New here. I seen Coping with Emotions and had to LOL and for sure join.
Some days I wish I had NO emotions. I have them constantly running through my head. The past year has just been all around bad .. but so many times it has been thrown in my face "you are just to emotional". Well to me I am a passoniate person in all I do. I stand for what I believe in. I have a huge heart but also am an open book with an open mouth that tells it how I see it. Which I have now learned just to keep my mouth shut. Hearing them say to me "quit being so emotional" would make me furious and lash out. . . like HOW DARE YOU tell me I shouldn't FEEL a certain way. I still feel that way just have removed myself from most bc I went in a deep depression the past 6 months .. but .. I need advice how YOU deal with emotions. I try to pray and have faith that all is well and take it day by day .. but emotions run through me all day every day. IDK what I will do to every change it! Look forward to hearing from you!

on another note, last Monday I got hit with something I could not name. while I have felt this way before, it was never so strong as to make me take notice before. all I knew was I didn't like feeling that way.

apprehensive, tremors, nausea, shortness of breath, etcetera.

my normal life has me feeling that way from time to time, but not strong enough to really feel it. I might notice the shakes and leave it at that.

well last Monday it was literally strong enough that I was unable to function when I was in DBT group, and Diagnostics group. I had to ask the therapist leading the DBT group what was I feeling. I had to be told that I was having an extreme anxiety attack. since then I have noticed it happening more often. probably because now I know what it is I may be able to recognize it more.

I have trouble coping with my emotions. It hurts so much just to feel them sometimes. I try to escape by unhealthy ways but it only makes it worse. I wish I had the answer on how to cope with your emotions.