Intense Emotions
“Is it normal to feel things this strongly?”
Have you ever asked yourself this question? Many of my clients have. Often they’ve gotten feedback from others that they’re “too emotional,” “too dramatic,” or simply “too much.” They’ve come to question what's wrong but aren’t quite sure what the solution is or what direction to turn. All they know is that the world seems more intense for them. When they’re angry, they can fly off the handle at what might seem trivial to others. When they’re sad, they can cry for hours or at the most inopportune times. When they’re anxious, they feel like they’re in an awful vortex of fear. Often intense emotions can cause problems in your relationships or in your work life because it can be difficult for you to adequately determine the facts of situations that arise. Intense feelings can be all-consuming in the moment - taking over your usual ability to be rational and respond wisely to situations. It can be easy to want to numb out or escape. But there are better ways to cope that will help you preserve your relationships and your sense of peace.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning...”
Some common struggles related to intense emotions
Intense periods of anxiety, panic, anger, sadness, grief, or irritation
Sudden mood changes or shifts
Impulsivity or reactivity
Susceptibility to other people’s feelings or moods
Unstable sense of identity
High conflict family relationships, friendships, or romantic relationships
Anxious or Disorganized attachment styles
Being an “empath” or a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
Possible history of mental health diagnosis related to Borderline Personality traits (BPD) or Neurodivergent traits (ASD / ADHD)
The path to calm and lightness.
If you relate to these struggles, know that you that you’re not alone and you’re not as broken as you might be feeling. When I work with clients experiencing intense emotions, we work on understanding where these intense emotions stem from, with attention to past childhood experiences and family dynamics as well as psychological and neurological influences. Often there are nervous system factors, attachment wounds, and other traumas that contribute to difficulties in this area. Once we understand how these factors contribute, we will work on relevant skills as needed to improve daily functioning. Some of these skills may include mindfulness skills to assist with self-monitoring thoughts and emotions, emotion regulation skills to help with reducing overall emotional intensity, distress tolerance skills to get through intense emotions when they do arise, and interpersonal skills to help with any relationship conflicts that may exist. The overall affect is more insight, self-compassion, self-control, and equanimity in your life. I want this for you, and I know that we can get you there!