Identifying and expressing our feelings in healthy ways can help you avoid unhealthy coping behaviors.
We live in a culture that does not always approve of big feelings, especially the expression of intense or negative emotions. Our society often teaches that when we experience grievous losses and hurts we should keep our pain, anger, and sadness to ourselves. Many therapists believe that this cultural expectation can be a recipe for addiction, mental illness, and physical health problems. Instead, it can be an act of profound kindness, tenderness, and self-care to give yourself some space and time to simply experience your feelings.
Just for Today
Think about any issues and concerns you are having and the feelings that these bring up. Give yourself permission to do whatever you need in the moment to acknowledge and express your feelings. Consider sharing these with a sponsor or trusted friend.