Why can't you control your emotions?

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Any kind of emotion, even excitement, joy or sadness, anger can intensify under some circumstances and get beyond human control. So what is the cause of the difficulty in controlling emotions and what are the measures to help people control their emotions? Let's find out the answer through the article below.

1. Causes of not being able to control emotions

Uncontrollable emotions occur differently in each subject, each situation and often stem from emotional outbursts. An emotional outburst or emotional panic is a state of rapid change in emotional expression, making emotions stronger or more exaggerated than usual. This condition most often affects people with a history of brain problems or previous brain damage (eg, stroke, etc.), people with mental health problems such as personality disorders borderline (BPD)...
Some uncontrollable emotional outbursts include:
Outbursts of anger are sudden and often unexplained; May cry or laugh spontaneously; Sudden irritability, easily excitable. For children who can't control their emotions when they feel upset or tired, then they will have emotional outbursts through crying, not eating or drinking... Children often begin to develop. more emotional self-control as they get older.
Difficulty controlling emotions occurs in even normal healthy adults. In addition, there are some exceptions where this condition is more likely to occur as follows:
People with adjustment disorder; People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Autosuggestion; Opposition defiant disorder; Alcohol use disorder; Asperger's syndrome; Bipolar disorder; Drug abuse; Diabetic patients; Head trauma; Hypoglycemia; Postpartum depression ; Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); People with mental disorders; People with schizophrenia. People with these conditions need long-term treatment to help people better control their emotions.

2. Symptoms of difficult to control emotions

People who control or regulate their emotions on a daily basis will identify what emotions they have, how they feel when emotions arise, and their experiences with that type of emotion. That's why for some people, controlling emotions becomes a habit or an automatic response.
When people can't control their emotions, they often have the following symptoms:
Feeling overwhelmed or overwhelmed by emotions; Afraid to express feelings to people; Loss of control even in thoughts and actions; Using stimulants such as alcohol, beer for the purpose of hiding or numbing your emotions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), difficult to control emotions is one of the causes of mental disorders or anxiety, affective disorder syndrome (PBA). In particular, emotional disturbance syndrome is characterized by crying or laughing uncontrollably. Therefore, people with emotional incontinence need medical facilities for examination, diagnosis and treatment when they have the following symptoms:
Having thoughts about death or feeling like life has no meaning; Having thoughts of self-injury; Loss of consciousness or feeling tired or sluggish; Hear sounds or see things that other people can't see.

3. Treatment of difficult to control emotions

Treatment depends on the underlying cause of the emotional uncontrollability. According to a study by scientists, people with diabetes are 2-3 times more likely to suffer from depression, sudden mood swings and anger for no reason than the average person. In addition, people with chronic low blood pressure are also one of those subjects that often find it difficult to control emotions, so people with low blood pressure need to change their diet to maintain normal blood sugar levels. often.
Treatments for psychological and emotional disorders may include medications and psychotherapy prescribed by a doctor. In addition, self-care methods should also be used to help regulate emotions such as journaling, confiding in family and friends...

4. Methods to master emotions

Emotions affect the physical and mental health of the body. Therefore, good emotion regulation and control skills help people achieve happiness and good physical and mental health. Here are some ways to control emotions as well as manage emotions well in humans:
4.1. See how your emotions affect you Psychologists have shown that intense emotions are not bad. It's completely normal to experience some emotions that are stronger or more exaggerated than usual from time to time – when something wonderful or terrible happens.
However, frequent repetition of emotional outbursts leads to bad effects. So it's a good idea to take the time to examine how your uncontrollable emotions are affecting your life, thereby helping you to identify problem areas and come up with appropriate solutions. emotional balance.
4.2. Aim for balance instead of restraint When you suppress your emotions, you are preventing yourself from experiencing and expressing your emotions. This will lead to bad physical and mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems, muscle tension and pain, stress...
So when you practice mastering your emotions contact, you need to aim for balance. For example, in cases of emotional outbursts, imagine that you won't let these emotions overwhelm and you won't let them go away completely either. Healthy emotional expression involves finding a balance between overwhelming emotions and no emotions at all.

4.3. Identify What You're Feeling Taking time to check in with your mood will help you better control and master your emotions. In cases of emotional outbursts and signs of being difficult to control, you can determine your feelings as well as your mood and emotions at that time by asking yourself questions like these:
How am I feeling now? Angry, sad or disappointed...? What influenced and made me feel this way? What do I want to do with this feeling? Is there a better way to deal with this emotional outburst? Through possible alternatives, you will be able to organize your thoughts and help you get rid of previous emotional outbursts and negative emotions. For this method to become a habit, it may take some practice and everything will become simpler.
4.4. Accept All Your Feelings In some cases, accepting all of your feelings will help you feel more comfortable. Increased comfort with intense, exaggerated emotions allows you to fully feel them without reacting in extreme, unhelpful ways.
To practice accepting emotions, try to think of them as messengers, they are neither good nor bad. Sometimes intense emotions make you feel uncomfortable, but they still provide you with information that you can use.
Emotional acceptance can lead to life satisfaction and less to mental health symptoms. In addition, when people think their emotions are helpful, happiness increases.

4.5. Journaling your moods Writing down your emotions and their effects will help you find problem areas and come up with appropriate solutions to balance your emotions. In addition, the journaling method also helps you recognize specific emotional situations such as work difficulties, family conflicts, etc. Identifying these triggers can be helpful. helps you to come up with a way to manage them more effectively. Journaling is most beneficial when you do it on a daily basis. Keep a journal with you and jot down intense emotions as they happen, trying to document your emotional triggers and your reactions when they happen.
4.6. Breathe Deeply Slowing down and paying attention to your breath will help you not lose sight of your emotions. According to psychology, deep breathing exercises help you stay grounded and less susceptible to intense, extreme emotions. The steps to perform a deep breathing exercise are as follows:
Inhale slowly, hold the pose, count to 3 then exhale gently; During the inhalation period, you should keep your mind relaxed, relaxed, and thoughtless. 4.7. Mindfulness meditation is one of the useful methods to help balance emotions as well as eliminate extreme emotions. Meditation also helps you relax and sleep better.
4.8. Avoid stress Stress is one of the causes of triggering extreme emotions, reducing the body's ability to control emotions. Even people who normally have good control over their emotions can find it difficult during times of high stress and tension.
Therefore, avoiding stress is a good way to manage your emotions. Some methods to help reduce and avoid stress such as mindfulness meditation; get enough sleep; confide and talk with family and friends; Take time to relax and do activities you enjoy.
Emotional incontinence seriously affects mental and physical health and is the cause of a number of mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder, personality disorder... So , making lifestyle changes and taking measures to help regulate and control emotions will help people protect and improve their health. However, in some cases when strong and extreme emotions occur continuously for a long time, there is a risk of causing mental disorders, patients need to go to medical facilities for examination and treatment. and get the correct advice from the doctor.

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Reference sources: healthline.com, researchgate.net