The Secret To Emotional Control Most People Don’t Know

An emotion is a mental state brought on by chemical changes in our body, outside stimulus or feelings associated with thoughts, behaviors and pleasures.

Better emotional control leads to lower levels of depression and anxiety. For those who are easily swayed or overly driven by their emotions, emotional control is definitely one of the most salient lesson to be learnt. New research has shown that the key to healthy emotional control is to be flexible.

So, what does being flexible mean? It has been found out that people with lower levels of depression and anxiety tend to vary their emotional control based on the situation itself. 

It is critical to note that there may not be a one-size-fits-all approach to emotional control. Instead, a more contextually-appropriate emotion regulation may seem to be healthier for our mental health.

From the research, it was found that people with the highest levels of mental health tend to be more flexible and adapt their strategies based on how much control they have over the situation. When they are unable to change the situation, they tend to take a new perspective to it and be more accepting of the situation itself. This is known as reappraisal. 

Even though reappraisal may be desirable in situations that we have no control of, it is worthy to note that when we have control over a situation, reappraisal is bad as it prevents us from doing something about the situation.

Therefore, when a situation can be changed, it is better to let your emotions drive us to take the change. Conversely, when a situation is out of our control, it is better for us to try and change our emotions.

Experience Uncomfortable Emotions But Don't Stay Stuck in Them:

Managing your emotions isn't the same as suppressing them. Ignoring your sadness or pretending you don't feel pain won't make those emotions go away.

In fact, unaddressed emotional wounds are likely to get worse over time. And there's a good chance suppressing your feelings will cause you to turn to unhealthy coping skills--like food or alcohol.

It's important to acknowledge your feelings while also recognizing that your emotions don't have to control you. If you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, you can take control of your mood and turn your day around. If you are angry, you can choose to calm yourself down.