Are U an emotional gusher?

In my practice as a psychiatrist and in my personal life, I've known many people whom I call "emotional gushers." Gushers are experts at knowing their emotions and were born to share them. No one has to wonder where they're at. Elated, bored, miserable, they tell you. What you see is what you get. They tend to be spontaneous, direct, authentic and trusted confidants. The gusher unloads stress by verbalizing it.
I, for one, know how freeing this can be. I am grateful to my treasured circle of friends, who deserve...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judith..._b_861872.html

I've been told I'm a "gusher." By my T. Typically, I'm quite reserved and vigilant. It takes a while for me to feel comfortable in a room or individually. I feel I need to get the "flavor" of the situation. What's accepted & what's not. But once there's comfort - yeah, I "gush." I don't seem to have a "governor" to hold back what's inappropriate versus appropriate in a new relationship. I will share quite personal aspects of my life to a relative stranger once there's comfort there. (trust) Trust - safety - is so important to me that once I think I've found it, I seem to lose the ability to let the relationship build to the point where such conversations would be considered better timed.

It's caused me quite a bit of difficulty in the past. Actually, I was removed from a "Survivors of Abuse" group because it was thought I was developing too close a relationship with another of the group members. Looking back, they were correct to reach that conclusion, but back then - for me - it felt like, once again, if I DARED to show my "true self" I'd be ostracized. "Removed." Quite painful and traumatic. This was months ago & I still experience that on the nite of Group to an extent. Not as intense as at first but it's persists.

Thanks for the question. Made me think. And reflect.

You described my husband to a T. He lets you know exactly what he thinking and feeling. I tend to hold things in because I don't want people to know what I am feeling unless they are extremely close friends. You have given me something to really think about. My husband and I are both overweight and I struggle with high blood pressure and he doesn't have a problem with his. Thanks for your post.

I related a lot to the video that was at the end of the article which talked about the Emotional Empath

I guess that describes me. I practically wear a sign on my head regarding my emotions.

Yeah, I am. But this comes from going through so many years not knowing what was wrong with me, and therefore unable to talk or explain.. Then one day I finally found my solution I don't even remember how, suddenly all the words and emotions were unlocked and I couldn't stop expressing myself.

lfmn, sometimes i think our minds go on overload and our emotions are shut down to protect us. when my mind said "feel" i cried for days. what a relief.

When I started therapy I started crying in the middle of the night for no reason for a week and that's never happened before ^^; I think the main problem for me personally as a gusher is.. Forgetting what that can do to the people who you unload upon. I have a best friend, who I love dearly, but today he finally snapped after 7 months because of my emotional issues. Because I kept feeling the same hurt and talking about it over and over, or my irritation would make me selfish and rant and rave about something while ignoring whatever might be going on in his life.

Letting it out makes me feel better, but it seems to make my friends feel pushed aside.

I'm not sure if I'm a gusher, but I feel emotions more intensely than anyone else I know, & they can often control me & change for no apparent reason.

one of the coping skills i learned was journaling. i could express my emotions on paper. especially when i was upset. this helps relieve my strong feelings/emotions. sometimes i cry as i'm journaling. it has really helped me.
another thing i'm still perfecting is meditation. i believe part of the suggestions-this being one-is quite useful.
lfmn, in therapy you can discuss about your good friend. your T may offer suggestions of how to not wear too much on your sleeve. i don't do this well all the time either.
some of the gushing i think comes from questioning our own worthiness. we worry, worry and then just have to spew it out or explode. we are seeking validation of self from outside of ourselves. so reminding ourselves of the our positive qualities helps too.
friends can be a great sounding board. often their suggestions about how i'm feeling puts it better perspective for me.
if i'm all tangled up i try to be quiet at home. not always a good solution but eventually i can do something physical that takes my mind off my emotions if just for a while. gives my mind a rest.

I agree with journaling. I have to start that again but when I was in therapy, I wrote alot. It does help when you have to gush out all you want to ker out

That is so me....I can't even help myself telling stuff sometimes!

Journaling helps me with the stuff I might not want to actually say to people but need to get out. it's a good outlet.

I keep trying to journal but I can't stick with it. I used to be really into it, but now.. meh, the need doesn't come around too often. I think it is part of the validation. You can't get that from a book, you just see the words there but there is no response.

Yeah, Little, I tried journaling too. For me it was all well and good to get those things out - but after you do that they're just laying there... Looking back at you. No resolution for all that. Or in my case any of it... At least when I had tried it before. Sorta envy those who can release some of that stuff merely by writing about it...

when you're jammed up and the feelings are stuffed for whatever reason journaling can help. i found when i balked my T re this, then tried to journal, the feelings rolled out on the paper. i had no need to re-read it cause it was cathartic to just write how i felt-frustration, non-validation and my anger at the other person, etc.
just me, i'm not journaling for response but merely getting it out there in any way i can. sometimes there's no possibility of my getting what i need. that's particularly when i journal.

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