Emotional pain, also known as psychological pain, is pain that arises from a source other than the body. It is also called mental torment or pain, or, in psychological lingo, "psych ache."
Emotional pain is non-tangible; we cannot see it, and we cannot treat it using physical methods like medication, but the pain is very real and can hurt more than any physical pain.
What Could Be the Cause of This Pain?
There can be various reasons why one would feel emotional pain, from emotional distress caused by others' actions to the loss of a loved one.
Sadness: Sadness is a very common emotion that we all experience from time to time. However, if we do not get over it in time, then it can cause severe damage and might result in depression or other mental disorders.
Unexpressed Anger: The more negative emotions you keep bottled up within you, the more they are bound to hurt you.
Rejection: Rejection, be it from a partner, a friend, a classmate, or a colleague, is going to result in feelings of anger and shame. Even the slightest rejection is enough for us to question our self-worth.
Loss or Trauma: When we experience the loss of a loved one or go through a traumatic incident, it leaves an impact on our lives. The distress caused by such incidents can result in us experiencing extreme mental aches and discomfort.
Guilt: Guilt is a very common reason for emotional pain. It might cause more harm to us, as we are the ones blaming ourselves. We are the source of our unhappiness. The self-blame and criticism take an immense toll on our mental health.
Failure: Failure can be one of the most shattering experiences of one's life. If a person is not mentally strong enough to accept failure positively, it can call their entire self-worth into question, and their self-esteem may plummet to new lows. This causes extreme emotional distress and a deterioration of mental health.
Impacts:
Contrary to popular belief, psychological pain can cause physical pain as well.
Headaches, muscle pain, nausea, body aches, and gastrointestinal or stomach aches
Eating disorders
Suicidal ideation or attempts
Anger outbursts
Mood swings
Loneliness or isolation
Depression and anxiety
It can also impact family dynamics. You might not be able to fulfil the necessary roles due to your internal conflicts, which might affect the financial standing of the house and sexual or other intimate relations.
Ways to Cope with This Pain:
Pain might leave you emotionally handicapped. You might feel extremely helpless, and rightly so; there can be times when you cannot seem to find ways to be free from this pain. But if you do not try to get out of this state of helplessness and alleviate the pain, you will not be able to escape from this. So, to help you, we have some ways you can cope with this.
Focus on the positives: Whenever you face a situation where you start questioning your self-worth, rebut yourself. When you face a situation of internal criticism, do not accept it. Try to point out all the positives instead of the negatives. This will give you a new perspective and generate optimism.
Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is being completely aware of your surroundings and yourself. Try to recognise and acknowledge every emotion that you are feeling at the moment, and look for appropriate ways to unleash those emotions. Letting out emotions, be they positive or negative, will help in dealing with emotional pain over time. Try talking to our experts using our free listening services at speakyourmind.in
The Humorous Approach: Try to find or create humorous situations around you. Humor might seem like the last thing you would want to indulge in at the moment, but humour is known to ease anxiety by preventing negative thoughts. Try to be around funny people or watch a funny show—just give yourself that distraction. Laughing increases physical pain tolerance and is a guaranteed way of reducing pain. Laughter is indeed the best medicine.
Therapy: It is always a good option to go see your therapist. Even if you do not think of your condition as "serious enough," it is still a safer option to visit a mental health professional. They will help you deal with your negative emotions.
Exercise: Exercising releases feel-good hormones, which will ease emotional pain. Try engaging in regular exercise such as yoga, swimming, dancing, meditation, or just a run around the block to help release the steam. Along with this, a healthy diet plan will keep your mood balanced. Obviously, occasional cheat days are fine, they might even increase endorphin release!
Conclusion
In conclusion, emotional pain goes beyond just sadness; it can be feelings of despair, hopelessness, grief, etc. Experiencing every emotion is important, but it is equally important to deal with them healthily and appropriately. It might be hard, but you can do it!
Do not try to hide or be ashamed of how you feel; talk to people who can help; and, if necessary, see a therapist. But give your negative emotions equal importance as your positive ones.
Realise. Recognise. Accept.
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