Emotions
How Emotions impact our pain
Emotions and pain are closely connected because they are processed in overlapping areas of the brain, including regions involved in both sensory experience and emotional regulation. Distressing emotions can activate the amygdala, the brain’s threat detector, which sends the nervous system into high alert and can amplify the perception of pain.
What we believe about our emotions also matters. When we experience a difficult emotion and then respond with judgment, resistance, or shame, we reinforce the idea that the emotion itself is dangerous. Research shows that stress is not inherently harmful; what makes the difference is whether we believe it is harming us. When we view our emotions as threatening or try to suppress them, we can actually heighten the nervous system’s reactivity, leading to physiological changes such as muscle tension, rapid heart rate, increased stress hormones, and even cardiovascular strain.
As humans, we experience a wide range of emotions, and this is unavoidable. The goal is not to push them away but to allow ourselves to feel them without judgment. Neuroscience research suggests that when we truly feel an emotion, even a difficult one, its physiological wave lasts about 90 seconds unless we keep fueling it with thoughts and resistance. Allowing ourselves to fully experience emotions teaches the brain that these states are not threats, which over time helps reduce over-activation of the nervous system. This may be a new concept if you grew up in an environment where certain emotions were discouraged or labeled as bad, such as the belief that anger is inherently harmful. In reality, there are no good or bad emotions, only ones that are easier or harder to experience. Each emotion can carry useful information or serve a purpose.
In this module, we will explore how to identify your emotional experiences and learn tools to sit with them from a place of safety. By practicing this, you can prevent emotions from feeling overwhelming and build resilience, making it easier to navigate challenging emotional states in the future.
JOURNAL PROMPT
What are your beliefs around emotions?