Understanding excessive feelings: The root cause of strong emotions
In our daily lives, managing emotions can sometimes be a daunting task. Uncontrolled emotions can affect various aspects of our lives, including relationships, jobs, and education, and can be exhausting and unpleasant. This article aims to shed light on the causes and remedies for managing heightened emotions.
Firstly, it's essential to understand that our emotional responses are influenced by a complex interplay of psychological and physical factors. Beyond stress and hormonal changes, genetic predispositions, brain structure and function abnormalities, neurochemical imbalances, early adverse experiences, personality traits, and environmental influences can all contribute to emotional reactivity or dysregulation.
For instance, genetic factors may make some individuals more prone to emotional reactivity or dysregulation, particularly in the context of mood disorders or personality disorders like borderline personality disorder (BPD), where emotional intensity is prominent. Brain areas such as the prefrontal cortex (involved in decision-making and emotional control) and the amygala (processing fear and anxiety) may have structural or functional differences that affect emotion regulation. Neurotransmitter imbalances involving serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which influence mood and emotional processing, are critical biological contributors to heightened emotions and disorders like anxiety and mood disorders.
Psychological factors also play a significant role. Maladaptive thought patterns, impulsivity, and personality traits such as high emotional sensitivity can all contribute to emotional instability. Adverse childhood experiences—physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or exposure to violence—can disrupt healthy emotional regulation development and lead to persistent emotional difficulties into adulthood. Environmental factors like social isolation, unhealthy relationships, and chronic psychological stress also exacerbate emotional instability. Additionally, lifestyle factors such as poor sleep, nutrition, and substance use can worsen emotional dysregulation or anxiety symptoms.
Cultural norms and socialization can also influence how a person judges their own emotions and the emotions of others. For example, boys are often taught and allowed to express more anger, while girls are encouraged to express more emotion. This difference in socialization can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations of emotions.
Certain physical health problems, such as frontotemporal dementia, may cause intense mood shifts and inappropriate behaviors. Hormonal shifts, such as those associated with hypothyroidism, pregnancy, menopause, low or high testosterone, and the use of steroids, can also affect emotions. Numerous physical and mental health conditions can cause a person to feel extra emotional. Physical health issues, including chronic pain, can affect mood and lead to moodiness.
In some cases, physical health conditions can contribute to emotional instability. For instance, uncontrolled diabetes can cause mood shifts. It's crucial to address these underlying health issues to manage emotions effectively.
When emotions become so intense they hurt or lash out at others, it may be time to seek professional help. A person should contact a doctor if they notice sudden changes in mood or personality, worry about a physical health condition, have symptoms of a mental health condition, notice that self-care and home management strategies are not working, or are thinking of hurting themselves.
Fortunately, help is out there. In a crisis, resources such as the 988 Lifeline, Crisis Text Line, Befrienders Worldwide, and local emergency services can provide support. If you are calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives.
Remedies for managing intense emotions include better physical care, treatment for physical and mental health conditions, developing a strategy for managing the source of the emotion, better social support, reframing emotions as normal, and self-care and relaxation strategies.
In conclusion, understanding the complex interplay of psychological and physical factors that contribute to heightened emotions is the first step towards effective management. By addressing underlying health issues, seeking professional help when needed, and implementing strategies for managing emotions, we can lead healthier and happier lives.
- Understanding the complex interplay between psychology and physiology is crucial in managing heightened emotions.
- Genetic predispositions can contribute to emotional reactivity or dysregulation, particularly in mood disorders like BPD.
- Structural or functional differences in the prefrontal cortex and amyggdala can affect emotion regulation.
- Neurotransmitter imbalances, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, play a critical role in emotional regulation and are associated with anxiety and mood disorders.
- Maladaptive thought patterns, impulsivity, and high emotional sensitivity can lead to emotional instability.
- Adverse childhood experiences can disrupt emotional regulation development and lead to persistent emotional difficulties.
- Environmental factors, lifestyle choices, cultural norms, and socialization can all impact emotion regulation.
- Certain physical health conditions, such as frontotemporal dementia and hypothyroidism, can cause intense mood shifts and inappropriate behaviors.
- Numerous physical and mental health conditions can cause emotional distress, including chronic pain, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, HIV, hepatitis, obesity, asthma, MS, ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease, macular degeneration, PTSD, and migraine.
- Addressing underlying health issues is essential for managing emotions effectively.
- In some cases, physical health conditions may contribute to emotional instability.
- Seek professional help if you notice sudden changes in mood or personality, worry about a physical health condition, have symptoms of a mental health condition, or are thinking of hurting yourself.
- Help for managing intense emotions includes better physical care, treatment for physical and mental health conditions, developing a strategy for managing the source of the emotion, better social support, reframing emotions as normal, and self-care and relaxation strategies.
- By addressing underlying health issues, seeking professional help when needed, and implementing strategies for managing emotions, we can lead healthier and happier lives, improving overall health-and-wellness and mental-health.
