Do you find that you are too emotional?

[Jenwales]

Does anxiety make you over react? Or feel too much emotion? For example one tiny think will make you very upset, or feeling stressed at work will make you anxious and miserable?
Is this our anxiety or just us?
How can we change?

[Annie0904]

When you have anxiety your nervous system is over stimulated so your emotions are heightened. I cry for the slightest little thing, I just have to see someone else cry and I cry.

[NoPoet]

It's like your whole body is so wound up that you will cry at the slightest provocation. It's kind of linked to catastrophising. We see something that would normally made us sad for a few minutes and then we'd move on from it, but in our wound up state it seems devastating.

This is one of those things that tends to get better as you get used to the illness and start losing your fear of it. When I was at my worst I didn't dare answer the phone or be in the room when the news was on the telly, but these things simply don't affect me any more. Strength and resilience do return.

[Jenwales]

I was doing better but I feel I can't cope with work sometimes

[shannabanna]

I can be so pent up with emotion that's why I think I have panic attack my body needs an outlet.

[Tessar]

What tends to happen is..... (To me at least) when I am feels sensitive (because something has upset me) if something else goes in that isn't good or perhaps I am criticised... Then I am far more likely to feel more emotional or get upset. That has often been the pattern in my life.

I am learning now that I can get upset about something but actually I can rein in the feelings. In fact......the more I let them out when they originally surface, the more I realise it is totally normal and natural to feel upset sometimes and the more I allow myself to cry and relieve myself of the tension that comes with it..... The better I feel. Then I am less likely to get upset again.

Look at it this was Jen. At times things in life can make you feel anxious. Feeling emotional sort of comes with the territory & is quite normal. It's like a release to cry. The tensions flows out with the tears. In their own way they are healing. Hold them in & you keep the issue gong. Let a few out & it will help. I suppose it's about finding a balance.

I used to keep all my tears in. I was conditioned to think of tears & emotions as a failing. But that's wrong. They often are good. Not that I enjoy them as such, but after you have a bit of a cry & let some if the emotions out it usually makes you feel better.

As regards how to change. Well, I have tried many different ways. Like I say I tried holding it all in. Bit that isn't wise. I just builds and builds til I burst with emotion. So as I say I prefer to let them escape sometimes. It helps. It has also led me to realise I am sometimes at my wits end. When that happens to we humans, we do tend to get upset & rightly so.

Also by recognising that humans in general are emotional beings, then I as a human..... Am bound to be emotional. It was quite a big moment for me to realise that emotions are normal and healthy. I feel more in control these days and that's because I get the balance right far more often. If I feel the need to cry, I can also comfort myself too. Because I realise something has happened to make me feel emotional.

It takes nothing sometimes to upset me. In that situation it comes as a surprise but I won't beat myself up about it. Instead I am kind to myself. I make sure I am ok. I give myself time. I don't expect myself to snap out if it because that isn't a healthy attitude. Instead as I say I give myself time & understanding.

Also, I try to keep things in perspective. Such as my job. It can start to take my life over.too many hours. Too much stress. If I am getting too n loved I make an effort to pull back, it's important to keep my work/life balance at the right levels.

Then there's making sure I have "me" time. Time to simply to exist for myself. to enjoy my own company. To spend some time how I would like.

alongside that, just to be me. Not trying to be anything or anyone for other people. Because ultimately I am happiest when I am not trying to change so I fit other people's ideas and beliefs etc. again I am happier now that I have discovered I am an ok person just as I am. If that means sometimes I am emotional so what? Much better to be able to feel than be an automaton who lives without feelings or worse totally suppresses them eh? My partner & I laugh sometimes when I am emotional. It's just me. We'll watch a programme on TV & I am far more likely to cry at a sad storyline..... But then I can empathise with people and their stories. Much better way to be. I am like Annie crying when other people cry. Sometimes even happy things have made me cry. Or like if someone does something kind for me, even that can set me off.

Hopefully my ramblings will prove of assistance...... :-)

[Carnation]

:weep:I cried reading the newspaper the other day. Every page I turned, I blubbed more. Then I cried at the TV and even some of the adverts. I am letting it all flow. Lump in the throat and everything. I see a Therapist and she said it is a good sign. Many years of pent up emotion. Maybe we all store it at the back of our mind or try to be too tough and 'Carry On'? I feel better for it, like a release. Thinking back over my Life, there was many a time I should have cried and didn't. I was also brought up to NOT CRY. Again the Therapist delved this one out of the past. I also find myself a lot more calmer and have a developed a 'Manana Manana' attitude. Well, it works for the Spanish?

[HalfJack]

I think its both anxiety and us. We feel extra due to the anxiety but we are still responsable for how we react to that.
Everyone anxiety or not gets overly emmotional now and then, sometimes its a strength x

I think learning to control your response is often possible without repressing yourself, thinking longer or calming down before reacting to things. Pull apart what is reasonable from what is unhelpful. The first time I stopped myself from snapping at my boyfriend made me feel really proud. I told him I felt uptight and snappy instead of snapping which kind of defused the whole thing anyway. My snap didn't need to be released it needed to be disarmed if you know what I mean.

[I'mdave27]

I have my moments where I can be really emotional but I try not to let it show , maybe a fear of exposing my true self. At times it feels like I where different masks for different day's , different people , different situations and I know it's weird to people when they will read that but I'm very strict about what part of myself I will give out to people , might be trust issues. I don't think it's trust issues though I just don't like giving my emotional side out to anyone