Here are 5 telltale signs that you are bottling up your emotions
Many people bottle up their emotions and try to keep a calm composure. Moreover, you might be one of them. There are several reasons why you might be repressing your feelings. This happens because the rigid structure of society forces you to be a certain way, or you might recognize yourself as the glue that keeps your friends and family from falling apart. Whatever the reason is, one thing is for sure, and that you are bottling up your emotions and feelings can even mess up your relationships and eventually lead to mental and physical consequences.
Here are telltale signs that you are bottling up your emotions.
You do not listen to yourself
Do you remember the last time you truly listened to yourself?
When was the last time you had an internal conversation and kept in touch with your heart?
Maybe you cannot even remember. That is one of the first indications that you might be emotionally repressed. It has been a while since you have taken the time to self-evaluate or listen to your subconscious side.
Even when you feel awful and know that something is not correct, you never really try to find the root cause of this negative energy. You ignore it instead, believing it will disappear on its own.
You are embarrassed by anger & sadness
If you are a guy, you were probably taught that boys do not cry. You grew up with the upbringing that men should just confront life’s challenges instead of sulking over them. In addition, any display of vulnerability or weakness is not a masculine trait. Throughout your life, you are internalized with these behavioural patterns.
If you are a female, you were probably taught that girls should always keep their temper in check. They said, “A real woman should never reveal her fury or anxiety”. Though you might not be consciously aware, these views affect the kind of person you are today. Since you were a child, it has been instilled in you that emotions such as sadness and anger are negative. Even though you are older now, you are still ashamed of expressing such emotions.
You never talk about your emotions
A by-product of bottling up your emotions is that you never confide in anyone about your feelings. It is not that you have to tell everyone around you about your inner dreams, fears, and secrets. However, you probably never reveal your deepest feelings, emotions, or vulnerabilities to your close friends and family either. Even when you burst into tears, you and your pillow are alone and out of sight. No matter what your burdens are, you prefer resolving them in private.
You are guarded
Have people ever referred to you as closed off?
Here we are not talking about one isolated instance. Being guarded is not a bad thing. It is a part of your personality. However, there has to be some kind of background or reason behind it. It might be an effort on your part to build a wall to protect your heart, which explains your tendency to be extra careful around others and rarely let anyone in. This is just another indicator that you might be emotionally repressed.
You are always ‘Alright’
What do you reply when someone asks you, how was your day?
Or do you need anything?
If you always reply, “I am fine or I do not need anything” then you are repressing your feelings. There are plenty of times when we are anything but fine. Sometimes we prefer to end the conversation by replying just fine.
If you relate to any of them, maybe it is time to think things through and confront your feelings head-on.
