World Mental Health Day 2024: Exploring the Link Between Suppressed Emotions and Physical Health

World Mental Health Day 2024: Emotions are part of our decision making, actions and how we communicate our inner state to others. They help us navigate life’s challenges and opportunities. But the key to harnessing the power of emotions is in how we manage them. Suman Khanna, Counselling Psychologist, Founder, Mind Unwind, Mumbai explains:

Imagine you are in a park, walking with your favorite music playing in your ears. Suddenly you see a group of people fighting nearby. Your first instinct would be to lower the music, assess the situation and adjust the volume accordingly. Once you realize it has nothing to do with you, you would probably go back to the original volume and continue your walk.

This is how someone who is in tune with their emotions would behave – they acknowledge the situation, validate their response and then act accordingly.

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On the other hand those who suppress their emotions might suppress the desire to listen to music in the first place, to control their environment or keep the volume so low that it doesn’t affect their surroundings. This is how someone who suppresses their emotions operates – they negate, invalidate and act in ways that deny their true feelings.

Suppressing emotions means not acknowledging how you really feel. This can lead to pushing these feelings deep down where they fester and harm. It’s a survival mechanism often learned as a way to avoid uncomfortable emotions or perceived threats. Over time this can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms like excessive screen time, overeating, substance use or acting in ways that are opposite to your true feelings.

While there is limited research on the direct link between suppressed emotions and physical health problems, there is evidence that suppression can lead to problems like muscle tension, nausea, indigestion and lifestyle diseases. Emotions are stored in the body in different forms and each person experiences them differently.

If you see this in yourself, first seek help from a mental health professional. A therapist can help you uncover hidden emotions, teach you to acknowledge, validate and work through them. They can also help you understand why you are suppressing your emotions.

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Before you reach out here’s a quick check in:

• Step Back: Get some space.
• Breathe: Breathe normally.
• Feel: What do I feel? For example, I feel.
• Scan: Where in my body do I feel the most tension or discomfort.
• Acknowledge: Recognize and name it, e.g. I feel, and I feel it in my.
• Ask What It Needs: What is the emotion asking of you—what will make it go away?
• Express Gratitude: Thank the emotion for showing up.
• Shift Your Self-Talk: Replace negative or unrealistic thoughts with more realistic ones.

Recognizing suppressed emotions can be tough, but here are some signs you might be doing it:

• Uncomfortable with Emotions: You feel weird when emotions surface.
• Can’t Acknowledge Others’ Feelings: Struggling to connect with others’ emotions.
• Can’t Express Feelings: Don’t know what to say when someone asks how you feel.
• Nervousness: Feel anxious or uneasy in emotional situations.
• Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms: Using distractions or unhealthy behaviors to avoid emotions.
• Substance Use: Using alcohol or drugs to numb the pain.

Emotions, when understood and managed well, can be your greatest asset in living a healthier, more joyful life. By acknowledging, validating and aligning with your emotions you can use them to guide you towards better decisions, improved mental and physical health and deeper connections with others.

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