Why Understanding PTSD Emotions Is Important

Why Understanding PTSD Emotions Is Important PTSD Coping Print The Importance of Understanding Your PTSD Emotions By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD on January 23, 2020 twitter linkedin Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Learn about our Medical Review Board Daniel B. Block, MD on January 23, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images If you have PTSD,?? you may experience very strong feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt, or shame, to name only a few. When you feel several of these PTSD emotions in quick succession, it can be very hard to know what youre feeling at any given moment. If it often happens that you dont know what youre feeling,?? you may be headed for problems such as: Feeling out of control and anxious about what emotions are coming up nextFeeling unable to manage your emotions and stay in controlChoosing an unhealthy way to cope with your PTSD emotions, such as avoidance or self-medication with illegal drugs or alcohol In extremely upsetting situations, some people may use dissociation (blanking out, or feeling that your emotions are disconnected from you) to distance themselves from all aspects of an emotion. Why Its Better to Know Exactly What Youre Feeling When you know exactly what youre feeling, you have the right information for figuring out how to make yourself feel better. You can choose the way to cope with your PTSD emotions that are most likely to be effective. But, you may wonder, arent treatment methods effective??? Yes, but not every healthy coping strategy works the same for every emotional experience. For example, expressive writing might work better for sadness than for anger, whereas taking a time-out would probably be more effective for escalating feelings of hostility. How can you identify exactly what youre feeling?  First, you need to know the different forms emotions can take. Parts of an Emotion Every emotion has three parts: Your Thoughts: Ideas or images that pop into your head when youre feeling an emotionYour Physical Sensations: The physical changes in your body (for example, increased heart rate, or nausea) when youre feeling an emotionYour Behavior: The action you feel like taking when youre feeling an emotion If youre like most people, with or without PTSD, you probably havent been aware of the three parts of your emotions or the different ways those parts may affect how you feel. For example, sometimes one part, such as uncomfortable thoughts, can come on so strongly that its difficult to get in touch with the others. If you were to experience this, you might simply try to push away or suppress your uncomfortable thoughts, which, of course, would keep you from identifying them and choosing an appropriate coping strategy that would make you feel better. Identifying Your Emotions According to Their Parts Listed below are some forms that the three parts of commonly-felt PTSD emotions may take.?? Fear Thoughts: Im in danger. Something terrible is going to happen.Physical Sensations: Racing heart, tunnel vision, shortness of breathBehaviors: Getting away from a situation, freezing, crying Sadness Thoughts: My situation is never going to change. Im all alone in this.Physical Sensations: Low energy, slower heart rate, nauseaBehaviors: Isolating yourself, crying Anger Thoughts: Life is unfair. Everyones out to get me.Physical Sensations: Racing heart, muscle tension, jaw clenchingBehaviors: Yelling, picking a fight, slamming doors Next time you experience an emotion, try to identify all three parts of it. (If you cant, knowing even one or two can be helpful.) Then match them up against this list to see if youre feeling one of these three common PTSD emotions. If you dont get a match, use the three parts youve identified to further investigate what youre feeling. 6 Types of Basic Emotions Choosing a Coping Strategy to Match Your Emotion Once youve identified at least one or two thoughts, physical sensations, and behaviors connected to an emotion youre feeling, you can start thinking about the type of coping strategy that might be best for managing it. For example, if youre experiencing an emotion that causes increased heart rate and muscle tension, you may want to try a coping strategy to bring those physical sensations down, such as progressive muscle relaxation or deep breathing. Now that youve learned how to identify your PTSD emotions, hopefully youre feeling better about managing them.?? Fortunately you can choose from a number of healthy coping strategies. The Benefits of PTSD Group Therapy