How often have you swallowed back a sob, blinked back your tears, and been told, "Aw, don't cry!"
The notion that one should not cry–whether because it's considered "unbecoming," "unattractive," "not manly," "messing up your makeup," or "too vulnerable"–seems incredibly silly when you consider that humans have tear ducts in our eyes. Yes, contrary to what some might believe, you are not only expected to cry in life, but you were created with crying in mind. Happy tears, sad tears, even angry tears are a built-in part of being human. It's natural.
Unfortunately, what a lot of people learn to do is to hide their emotions when dealing with grief, depression, anxiety, or other mental health crises. It’s hard to be vulnerable, labeled, or singled out.
But what if society is wrong? There is another way.
When the emotions stirred up by this world affect you, you do not have to hide them anymore. However, you might feel unsure of how to show your feelings to others after spending so long keeping these emotions locked away. Fortunately, there are constructive practices that can help you to let out your emotions in a healthy and freeing way.
Set Your Feelings Free
● Start journaling: If you don’t feel up to sharing your feelings with others yet, you can always detail your thoughts inside of a journal. A journal is private, allows you to go into as much detail as you like about exactly what you’re feeling, and best of all, it’s non-judgmental.
● Speak with a therapist: Once you have gotten your innermost emotions put to paper, you may want to begin speaking with a counselor or psychotherapist. These individuals keep your information confidential–nothing you say to them leaves the therapy room. Even more comforting is the fact that, as of late, remote online therapy has given people more freedom to decide where they’d most be comfortable entering into a session, giving you all the help and discretion of an office, with all the comforts of home.
● Tell those whom you trust: In life, it can be difficult to know who you can or can’t trust. You don’t need to open up to everyone you know, but you can select one or more people you feel you can trust as ones with whom you can “be real.” These interactions can help your heart to heal from the baggage that comes from bottling your emotions up inside, as well as make you more comfortable with being open regarding your emotions. It may even prepare you to be authentic with your feelings to more people in the future.
If something is really hard on you, don’t be afraid to speak your mind. If something hurts, it is okay to cry!
For more techniques to help you take control of your own life, or if you are suffering from the effects of a mental health crisis, such as a depressive disorder, nervousness, anxiety, or bipolar depression symptoms, Omaha Trauma Therapy is here to help! EMDR and Brainspotting therapy techniques are our specialty. We want to provide you with a holistic approach toward your healing goals. Contact us.