Why You Should Never Bottle Up Your Emotions
If you’re not a complete sociopath, then you’ve probably experienced emotions at some point in your life. Emotions are an integral part of what makes us human, and they can often help guide our decision-making processes.
Some people are more comfortable expressing their emotions than others; and some, well, they prefer to bottle them up nice and tight, where no one can see them.
If you fall into the latter category, chances are, you’ve been indoctrinated to believe that showing your emotions is a sign of weakness, or worse yet, if you’re male, that it’s just not manly. It’s what “those lowly women do.”
Well, let me tell you something: it’s time to shake off those archaic beliefs, because bottling up your emotions can have serious consequences. Let’s explore them below.
10 reasons why you shouldn’t bottle up your emotions
1. Holding in your emotions is like shaking a bottle of soda
Have you ever shaken up a bottle of soda and then popped the cap? What happens next? It explodes, right? The same thing can happen when you keep your emotions bottled up inside.
When we hold onto our feelings for too long without expressing them, they start building pressure that eventually has to go somewhere. And if it’s not released properly, it will explode out of us at random times and places.
2. It can lead to physical health problems
The stress of keeping your emotions held inside can take a toll on your physical health. Studies have shown that bottling up your emotions can lead to increased levels of stress, which, in turn, can lead to high blood pressure and other health problems.
Additionally, suppressed emotions are often linked with chronic pain conditions such as headaches and backaches. Put simply: all that emotional tension is going to make you physically ill.
3. Your mental health is at risk
Just like physical health can suffer when we bottle up our emotions, so too can our mental wellbeing. It’s not uncommon for individuals who suppress their emotions to experience periods of depression and anxiety.
Burying your feelings deep inside may work in the short-term but over time, it builds into a bigger problem. This will show up as severe mood swings or even outbursts at unexpected times. Yikes!
4. You’re likely to feel isolated and lonely
If you don’t allow yourself to open up to others, it can be hard for them to truly connect with you. We all crave connection and understanding, but if we refuse to share our emotions, how will anyone know what we’re really feeling?
Keeping your feelings locked up tight can lead to a sense of isolation and loneliness because people are less likely to approach someone who appears closed off.
5. It’s not fair on the people around you
Those constant mood swings and outbursts that come with suppressed emotions won’t win you any popularity points. It’s not fair on the people around you to constantly be unsure what version of you they’re going to get from one day to the next.
You’re going to be irritable, and miserable, and just generally unpleasant company. Your nearest and dearest will have to put up with all of that… until they can’t anymore and drop you like a hot potato.
6. You can’t fix what you don’t address
If you don’t face your emotions head-on, there’s no way to make any real progress. If something is bothering you, ignoring it or suppressing it won’t make the problem go away.
Confronting your emotions can be a daunting experience but refusing to face them means that they’ll persist indefinitely. You need to come up with clear solutions and trigger points that will help cure whatever emotional distress you’re feeling.
7. Expressing emotions can actually be liberating
While we’ve talked about all the negative outcomes of bottling up your emotions, there’s a positive side to all of this.
Allowing yourself to express your emotions can be a truly liberating experience. Often, simply talking about what’s bothering us can help us feel better
When we share our feelings with someone who listens and is receptive, we not only begin to let go of negative energy but also get feedback that helps us create solutions.
8. It can lead to a cycle of self-doubt
When you keep your emotions hidden, it’s easy to fall into the trap of second-guessing yourself and wondering if you’re doing something wrong. Doubting your every move is exhausting, and it’s hard to shake off.
Being open with yourself about your emotions helps you get a sense of clarity that rebuilds confidence.
9. People will think you’re cold and possibly psychotic
If you keep your emotions locked up tight, people might see you as someone who’s cold, distant, and possibly even psychotic. They have no idea what’s going on inside your head, which some might find unsettling.
This one may sound less concerning but it really matters. You certainly don’t want people to misjudge you and create a false or unfair perception of who you are.
10. Showing emotion isn’t weakness – it’s human
Finally, we need to get rid of the belief that showing emotions is a sign of weakness. This is not true – it’s part and parcel of being a human.
It’s as human as speaking.
We all experience a variety of emotions throughout our lives, and to deny ourselves the ability to express them is denying our humanity.
Wrapping things up
Volcanoes are known for their explosiveness, but keeping our emotions bottled up can make us just as explosive.
It’s a natural inclination to want to hide how we feel from the world because no one wants to be seen in a vulnerable state. However, holding onto your emotions, as I hope I’ve demonstrated, is not only detrimental to your mental health but your physical well-being and relationships with others.
This doesn’t mean you need to walk around with your heart on our sleeve all the time, either. It’s about finding a balance between expressing yourself honestly and taking into account other people’s boundaries.