It is never easy to cope with emotional pain. The sheer overwhelming nature of it can disrupt your daily life. In this article, we’re going to discuss healthy ways to cope with it.

What is Emotional Pain?

When you experience difficult emotions, you experience emotional pain. A person may experience emotional distress due to various factors, including grief, loss, trauma, stress, or toxic relationships. These experiences leave an imprint on the mind and body. Even though these experiences can empower you and teach you valuable life lessons, suppressing emotional pain can negatively affect your health, success, and happiness. The actions of others can sometimes cause emotional pain. Depression or anxiety could also be the reason, in other cases.

A person's thoughts can often trigger emotions. Therefore, mental and emotional pain are interconnected. Having anxiety, for example, affects how you handle emotions and may prevent you from going about your usual routines. A traumatic event also causes emotional pain for some people, such as losing a loved one. Some of these signs may also lead to emotional pain:

• Fatigue
• Less time with family and friends
• Anger issues
• Having trouble eating
• No motivation to do tasks
• Feeling helpless, guilt-ridden, or hopeless

Regardless of the cause, emotional pain affects many different aspects of a person's life. It is essential to learn how to deal with it in healthy ways. Using suitable coping mechanisms can help you with healing emotional pain and overcoming it. 

How to heal yourself emotionally? Blocking the thoughts and feelings you don't want to feel might not be healthy. Moreover, suppressing emotional pain can manifest as physical symptoms such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and self-harm.

Healing emotional pain takes time, patience, perseverance, and love for yourself to accomplish. 

How to Cope With Emotional Pain?

Emotional pain is inevitable, and anyone can experience it. The distressing effects of emotional pain often lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms, including alcohol and drugs. Though they relieve pain briefly, these methods cause more significant harm over time.

It doesn't matter whether the pain is from trauma, loss, or disappointment; you must devise a strategy to handle and cope with it. The following are healthier ways to cope with emotional pain:

     1. Spend Your Time Doing Something You Enjoy

Yes, you can cry about your loss, grief, and painful experiences. There's a saying, "Cry until it hurts no more." And that is natural. However, would you still keep on dwelling on it? Are you going to stay in that past forever? If you prefer, you can try something productive to help you overcome life's challenges and obstacles. Some people manage their Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after trauma by punching a heavy bag to let go of the extreme tension inside them. It is indeed an effective way to deal with severe emotional pain.

If your emotional pain is less intense, you can try a new hobby, focus on your career, or do things you enjoy. Try to distract yourself with something more positive.

     2. Move Your Body. 

Even if your emotional pain may devour you, you need to get up and get moving. Try a new sport or activity. While hiking, biking, and yoga can be great activities to fill your time, they can also make you feel good. Put your health first. Getting physical exercise is a great way to deal with feelings of emotional pain because it improves mood. Taking a walk is worth it for your mood rather than browsing social media. 

     3. Take Control Of Your Anxiety or Depression.

If you ever have anxiety or depression, emotional pain may trigger them. Relaxation exercises, physical exercise, or yoga can help you cope with these feelings. The best method for improving your mood involves relaxation, stress management, and cognitive restructuring. Relaxation can reduce emotional pain by letting your muscles relax and deepening your breathing.

     4. Service Through Volunteering

Volunteering boosts your self-confidence and a sense of purpose. It can be a way of coping with emotional pain, as well. You will learn new skills, form or strengthen your community ties, gain new experiences, and meet various people by volunteering. In the same way, giving to others can also enhance your mental, physical, and emotional health. There are many benefits to volunteering, but it doesn't entail a long-term commitment or consume a lot of your time. Volunteering is not only good for those in need, but it is good for you as well.

     5. Write Down Your Emotions In a Journal

Writing down your emotions gives you freedom. No one can interrupt your peace of mind, let alone encounter criticism. Your emotions are a part of you. When you write about your emotions, you will reflect, analyze, and learn to change them, which helps overcome your emotional pain. 

     6. See a Therapist

Seek counsel from a therapist to deal with emotional pain if you are having trouble managing it. If you experience mental health or emotional issues that interfere with your daily life, you may need therapy. These therapies might help you in coping with emotional pain:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of several therapeutic approaches. According to the American Psychological Association, it effectively treats depression, anxiety, and other disorders caused by emotional pain.

• Psychotherapy. It involves talk therapy that can improve your mental wellness. Also, psychotherapy can enhance emotions and behaviors and lead to positive changes in the brain and body.

• A problem-solving approach is also a practical component of group therapy. You can form groups to assist with coping and social skills in the aftermath of trauma or loss.

Helpful Quotes

• Laugh as much as possible to boost your spirits. It is good medicine.
• Listen to music that soothes you.
• If you feel like crying, do so, as it is a healthy release of emotion.
• Engage in enjoyable activities to keep your mind off stress.

If you don't cope with emotional pain, it can cause serious harm to your lifestyle. No matter how much you have changed from this experience, we provide you with these helpful ways to help you move forward. We hope these things will help you create a positive and happy outlook on life. 

A Center for Mental Wellness offers therapy solutions for you and your family. Contact us today to make an appointment or to learn more about how we can help. #BuildingABetterTomorrow