How do you overcome emotional suffering?

1. 74

   qlcoachposted 12 years ago

   How do you overcome emotional suffering?
   
   I think painful emotions shut-down our rational mind. If we can learn new coping skills to release stuff that hurts, then maybe we can turn to positive thinking to maintain our balance.
   
   

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2. 64

   Tusitala Tomposted 12 years ago

   First of all we need to realize what emotion is.   It is a feeling or feelings, is it not?    And they seem to consume us, influencing our thinking, our mood, and even our health.   So where are they?
   
   You could come up with some vague answer such as "They're in my mind, the thoughts...it's the thoughts.   I keep going over it again and again...wishing it was different..." et cetera.   Of course, such thinking only imbeds the emotions and grows them even more.   They become more deeply established the more we dwell on them.
   
   So where are they? 
   
   They are in your Mind-Body, the Emotional-sheaf which surrounds and interpenitrates your physical and is, in turn, surrounding by a Mind-sheaf which also interpenitrates both the Emotion-sheaf and the physical body.
   
   Don't expect the established medical profession to back me up on this one.  Just keep an open mind on it.   It usually takes a while for the medicos to catch up, if they ever do, with what's been discovered millenia ago.
   
   The emotions are patterns.   You might also say that they are disharmonious patterns.  To the trained meditator of long standing they can be felt.   Eventually, if left to themselves, they will harden, sort of solidify to become what the Buddhists and Hindus call Sankaras or Samskaras.
   
   The wise men and women of old have long ago worked out ways to ameliorate, and eventually dissolve these emotional patterns.   To learn more, check out Vipassana Meditation.
   
   i hope this has been of some assistance.

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3. 0

   lambservantposted 12 years ago

   Boy is that a loaded question, and one not easily answered. You hit it right on the nail when you said painful emotions can shut down our rational thinking. That's when our behavior becomes poor and things get worse.
   
   I am mentally and emotionally more healthy right now than I have in years. But I am not out of the woods. I can give you a few of my experiences. You may not like some, but perhaps you can glean something from what I share.
   
   The biggest lesson I've learned is that if I don't turn to God with my sufferings and hurting emotions, it all snow balls. God helps me keep things in perspective. He gives me strength and guidance.
   
   Another thing is taking responsibility to take care of myself, and to use the tools I have been given to cope with emotional stress, even if it is not from a mental illness. See my article on this http://lambservant.hubpages.com/hub/Tak … -Recovery. Emotional pain is so intense it incapacitates us sometimes. We feel helpless and sometimes hopeless. The important thing is that if we see we are not handling it well, we need to seek help. It is my personal belief, that we should turn to God daily no matter what, but especially when we are suffering. But also, we need to be able to find some healthy, safe people to talk to and process our pain with, to receive support, guidance, fresh perspective, and sense of being loved and valued. Whether that is from a professional counselor, or a trusted friend.
   
   Surround yourself with safe people, know whom you can trust, and allow those people to support you and love you.
   
   The Bible says God does not allow us to bear more than we are able. I found that hard to believe on occasion. But once I started to turn to him, I found that He, and my special support people (whom he uses to help us) were indeed able to help me overcome.
   
   Today I am doing so much better in my relationships, not going off the deep end when trials come, reminding myself of what I have already come through and how i got through it. There is hope. It is never easy, but with God's help and supportive friends and professionals, we can get through and overcome. Also see my hub http://lambservant.hubpages.com/hub/Hel … nd-Anxiety Also, if you are dealing with painful memories of abuse see my hub on that http://lambservant.hubpages.com/hub/Res … -Your-Life
   
   
   God bless

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4. 74

   qlcoachposted 12 years ago

   Thank you Tusitala Tom and lambservant for you answers to the question of how to overcome emotional suffering. I hear hope and support in your words. I also believe in the power of meditation and faith. I'm thinking that we can all benefit from venting painful emotions either through writing and talking about it.  Then maybe we need to affirm some positive thoughts that will help keep us in balance. How does that sound? I remain open to more ideas and thoughts. Peace and Light...Gary.

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5. 57

   athena2011posted 12 years ago

   Prayer and my network of support are the 2 main ways I cope with emotional suffering.
   
   After that I take things one day at a time and know that while time may not heal completely, it definitely helps.
   
   Also I try to make myself focus on the things and people that I am grateful for in my life and that also helps me to feel much better.

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