Each of us is taught from childhood “not to yell”, not to jump for joy, not to laugh too loudly, not to cry out of resentment. But we can’t make emotions disappear. They stay and take revenge on our body – for the fact that we suppress them. What kind of emotions are we talking about? How does trying to drown them out affect our health and appearance?
1 anger
In society, the manifestation of anger is considered a sign of poor parenting. For this reason, and to avoid negative consequences such as family discord, a fight with a friend, or being fired, many people suppress anger and frustration.
By depriving ourselves of the opportunity to speak out, we take the emotion inward. Next, our jaw muscles are clamped, which the brain orders to follow so that an extra word does not break out in the heat of the moment. If the habit of suppressing anger was developed in us in childhood, then the body will automatically respond to even the slightest discontent – and our face will “play”.
2.Rage
When anger accumulates too much, it transforms into rage. In fact, this emotion is an amazing driving force when used in the right way. But suppressing it does not lead to anything good.
First of all, it affects the gluteal muscles. They are very strong and involve the legs, the foundation of the human body. Suppressed emotion provokes lower back pain and a feeling of weakness in the legs – so it forces us to sit down so that we restrain ourselves from action.
3.Love
Feeling love, a person is eager to hug the object of affection, cuddle up to him, stroke or protect him. And the main tool here is the hands. It is believed that it is the hands, hands, fingers that are the storehouse of balance, the ability to give and receive.
Unfortunately, we often hold back the manifestation of our romantic feelings, even in relation to loved ones. Because of this, we can develop a protective reflex, an unconscious reaction in relation to others – we begin to fence ourselves off from people, in particular, with the help of hands. It’s like saying “don’t touch me”.
4. Fear
People usually experience fear much more often than joy or love. It hides in several places in the body, but our neck is most vulnerable to it. Which is not surprising, because the first reaction of the body to fear is the desire to shrink and “pull the head into the shoulders.”
Many of those who experienced intense fear in early childhood continue to live with this feeling. The muscles of the neck in such people are spasmodic and shortened. Fear blocked in the body can also interfere with our self-development, career growth and success in society.
5. Offense
The expression “knife in the back” well describes the feeling of acute resentment from betrayal. It is the muscles of the upper back that absorb this emotion – there is pain and a feeling of cold between the shoulder blades.
But this does not mean that the lower back does not suffer at all. The lower back takes on all the emotions associated with an unbearable burden, forced obligations, desperate self-sacrifice, resentment for life and fate. And because of this tension, we have pain, our posture deteriorates.
Any muscle clamps bring tangible discomfort, a feeling of overstrain and tightness. By getting rid of unnecessary blocks, we can learn not to hold back feelings, but to direct them in a creative direction. After all, emotions have a huge potential. If they are not extinguished in your body, then harmony in feelings and actions will help change our lives for the better.
About the Developer
Anna Protasova – a body therapist, a specialist in body-oriented psychological practices. Her .