![]() This investigation examines the association between emotional reactivity to daily events and emotional experience in mood and anxiety disorders in a large community-based sample. Perhaps you will even laugh about it by then.The application of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) in community settings provides a powerful opportunity to obtain measures of emotional reactivity to daily life events, as well as emotional dynamics in real time. Rather than reacting in anger, imagine the scenario as if you’re looking back 5 years from now. ![]() The temporal distancing strategy involves shifting to a different time perspective.įor instance, let’s say you loan your friend your favorite shirt and they accidentally stain it. Temporal distancingĮverything can feel so overwhelming in the present moment. The self-distancing technique helps you get some distance from your situation and helps you to avoid getting overwhelmed by your negative emotions.Ī study from 2021 found that athletes who practiced self-distancing had less emotional reactivity, including aggressive behavior, over time. So rather than being completely immersed in your emotions and situation, view it from an outsider’s perspective. In the self-distancing strategy, you look at yourself as though you were watching your situation from another person’s point of view. Have you ever watched a documentary about a person who went through tremendous hardship? As you watched their story, you probably thought about how brave or strong they were.īut of course, they probably didn’t feel that way while going through it - they likely felt strong emotions, such as fear, sadness, or anger during that time. Research shows that people who use reappraisal tend to have a greater sense of well-being and fewer depressive symptoms than those who don’t use the strategy. This strategy can be used to either increase positive emotions or decrease negative emotions.įor instance, let’s say you weren’t invited to a party that many of your friends are attending.Ī reappraisal would be thinking that at least now you have the opportunity to save money on buying a new outfit - or that now you don’t have to worry about avoiding that one person who’s always rude to you. In psychology, emotional reappraisal involves reframing the situation into something more positive - or at least less negative. But acting confidently helps you remember that your reactions are changeable, and you have some control over them. This isn’t another way of suppressing your feelings - you still need to label and release your fear. For instance, if you’re extremely nervous on your way to take an exam, try to behave as if you’re feeling excited and confident. In “opposite action,” you engage in behaviors that match the opposite emotion of what you’re feeling. Opposite action is an emotion regulation strategy often used in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a type of therapy that helps you manage difficult emotions. In fact, research shows that labeling decreases activity in the amygdala, the brain region involved in emotions and fear. When we’re highly aware of how we feel and can communicate our feelings, our emotions feel less severe. For example, instead of saying “I’m really upset,” you might say “I feel so embarrassed and disappointed in myself that I failed the test.” LabelingĮmotion labeling is the act of specifically naming your emotions. ![]() Identifying them is the first step, so that your feelings are conscious and don’t sneak up on you. Think about what your triggers are and write them down. Maybe you never felt heard by a parent, and now when your partner doesn’t listen to you, you react in anger or extreme sadness. Identify your triggersĭo you find yourself overreacting to the same things again and again? Perhaps you have a strong reaction to feeling ignored. In psychology, the act of managing your emotional state is called “ emotional regulation.” Emotional regulation strategies can involve reducing negative emotions, increasing positive emotions, or both.
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