How to Release Repressed Emotions

If parents do not respond in a nurturing manner when their children cry, children may learn, unconsciously, to bury their emotions. One theory comes from Sigmund Freud: Repression is one of the basic defense mechanisms. It is the way we function in society, by covering up our most basic, primitive wishes. When emotions are repressed, you may begin to have psychological or physical symptoms of stress, such as rage or headaches. Regardless of why you have buried emotions, bringing them to the surface can be enlightening and comforting, and a way to learn about yourself and release inner tension.

Instructions

• 1

  Singing and cooking can help you release your emotions.

  Sublimate your emotions by expressing yourself creatively. Writing, painting, cooking, singing and dancing are a few of many outlets for your creativity. Examine your project when it is finished, and you might see clues to your hidden feelings, such as themes of jealousy in a short story you wrote.

• 2

  Meditation can help you rid yourself of bad emotions and focus on positive ones.

  Seek a force larger than yourself, whether it is God or nature or something else. Take a walk, meditate or pray. You can help yourself by expressing your feelings in such a setting, and by absorbing positive energy from the activity.

• 3

  Dogs can be a great source of comfort.

  Find comfort in animals. Pets can be wonderful listeners, partially because they do not talk back or make judgments, but also because many animals, such as dogs and birds, are talented at sensing the emotions of people.

• 4

  If you're having trouble expressing your emotions, try talking to a loved one about them.

  Confide in a loved one. Ask a friend, romantic partner, family member or counselor for help sorting through your feelings, which may be confusing and not entirely conscious. Simply talking things through can help you get to the bottom of your tangled and repressed emotions.

• 5

  Psychotherapy is a commonly used treatment for repressed emotions.

  Meet with a psychotherapist. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one way to address repressed emotions, by addressing the irrational thoughts that may underlie bad feelings. Other therapeutic methods include hypnosis, psychoanalysis, dialectical behavior therapy and primal therapy.

• 6

  Headaches are often caused by stress.

  Remember that deliberately bottling up your feelings to avoid stress is counterproductive. Bad feelings that aren't addressed ultimately make themselves known anyway -- through outbursts, physical health problems or other ways.