Do you feel confused about your emotions? It is okay and even common for people to feel confused or not be able to identify how they feel. Being able to acknowledge that we do not understand our emotions can help us start to identify our emotions. All of us experience emotions and signs differently. It can be even more difficult when we have not experienced certain signs or emotions before, so when we do, it is hard to understand what we are feeling.
For those of us that are highly sensitive people, identifying how we feel can be even more difficult. Below are reasons why it may be difficult to identify how you feel. Be aware that not everyone’s emotions are the same and just because these may be the reasons for others, does not mean that they have to be your reasons. This disconnection with our emotions can be very overwhelming, remember to be kind to yourself.
Reasons it may be hard to identify how we feel:
This can be when we grow up being told our emotions are wrong or unimportant. This can teach us over time that what we are feeling is wrong or that our feelings are lying to us.
- Our feelings/emotions are processing
Our physical reaction to an emotion can be delayed, making the emotions confusing. Sometimes we do not know that we are experiencing emotions but have a physical response.
- You have been made fun of for your emotions
Being mocked or made fun of for your emotions can be extremely challenging. Being made fun of can make us feel like we cannot show any emotion, so we in turn ignore our emotions.
- You may be feeling more than one emotion
Understanding one emotion is hard but when we are feeling many emotions, it can be very difficult to understand which feeling is important to identify. When we feel more than one emotion this leads to confusion and stress around what we are truly feeling.
When we are raised being told not to show emotion, we tend to burry our emotions and ignore them all together. This makes it difficult to no longer hide emotions and confront them later in life, which makes identifying emotions extremely challenging.
- You are experiencing an emotion for the first time
When we feel something that we have not felt before, it can be difficult to understand this feeling. It is normal for this to be confusing and to even misidentify an emotion for something it is not.
- You are detached from your emotions
When we repress our feelings for so long, we tend to dissociate when it comes to emotions. This makes your brain not let you see or feel what are actually feeling.
How to get more in touch with your emotions:
- Track hard to identify emotions
Notice what is going on around you when these emotions/feelings are occurring.
- Name the emotions you can identify
When you name off when experiencing happiness, shame, anxiety, doubt, etc., we are able to start recognizing our other more difficult emotions.
- Look at how your body reacts to your emotions
Our physical reactions can help lead us to better understanding the emotions we are experiencing.
- Seek support from a counselor or social worker
A therapist can help us identify and express our emotions in a safe and healthy way. Identifying difficult emotions can be overwhelming. Be kind to yourself and give yourself the time and space to understanding what it is that you are feeling. Try not to suppress your emotions, hiding these emotions will make them more difficult to identify.
Sometimes we can understand the name of our emotions, but not exactly what level our emotions are at. If these are things that you are experiencing, know that it is okay to seek support. A therapist is a great resource to help identify emotions in a safe and healthy way. Name your emotions out loud and even write about what you are feeling to better understand the emotion you are experiencing.
