Your Emotional First Aid Kit
Sometimes emotions feel too intense. One moment you’re fine and, suddenly, something happens and you feel like you can’t control it. It could be anger, sadness, frustration, or anxiety. In those moments, the most important thing is knowing how to regulate those emotions so you don’t get trapped in them.
The following video shows four simple strategies you can use when you feel your emotions are overwhelming you. Think about which one you could try the next time you feel that way.
Four ways to calm intense emotions.
When an emotion is very strong, the body reacts immediately: breathing speeds up, the heart beats faster, muscles tense. But there are ways to send your body a signal to calm down .
- Find something cold.
- Putting an ice pack on your face or simply splashing yourself with cold water can help calm the nervous system.
- Cold has an immediate effect on the brain and can help you regain control.
- Do intense exercise for a few minutes.
- Go for a run, jump, dance, or do push-ups.
- Move your body, release the energy built up from the intense emotion.
- Control your breathing.
- Breathe in counting to 4 and breathe out counting to 8.
- This type of breathing sends a calming signal to your brain.
- Stretch and relax your muscles.
- Many times, intense emotions make your whole body tense up.
- Stretching can help you feel better.
Reflection: Which of these strategies do you think could work best for you? Have you already tried any of them before?
Your own emotional first aid kit
Each person reacts differently to intense emotions. Some strategies may work better than others. The important thing is to have options and try whichever helps you most in each moment.
Make a list of three strategies you could use when you feel an emotion is overwhelming you. Write them somewhere visible or on your phone so you can remember them when you need them.
Intense emotions are not the problem. The important thing is knowing how to manage them so they don’t take control. Which of these strategies will you try next time?