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Consequences of Repression of Emotion: Physical Health, Mental Health and General Well Being

Consequences of Repression of Emotion: Physical Health, Mental Health and General Well Being The widely held belief that emotional and psychological processes affect our physical health, mental health and general well-being are central to a holistic view of the individual, and as such, it is a useful foundational concept in integrative medicine. The purpose of this paper is to review substantial amounts of the latest research and recent findings on this issue to enable us to throw some light on how inhibitory factors to emotional expression and experience can endanger our health, both physically and psychologically including our general well being. In addition, the connection between repression of emotion and certain mental disorders like depression and scientifically proven healthy ways to manage issues bordering on emotion was outlined. The information contained in this paper is just as important to health care providers and also to the patients they deal with. Corresponding author: Prittesh Patel, Assistant Professor, C. G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, Uka Tarsadia University, Bardoli, Maliba Campus, Surat, Gujarat, India, Tel: +91 9913668812; Email: pritteshpatel@gmail.com Key words: Emotion, Psychology, Depression, Patients, Mental Health, Repression Received: Dec 22, 2018 Accepted: Feb 09, 2019 Published: Feb 12, 2019 Editor: Wei Xu, School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, China. www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 16 Freely Available Online decades worth of research [8]. More recently, research Introduction findings have been adding up in support of the notion In psychology, repression of emotion is an that the relationship between emotional and physical aspect of emotion regulation. It is a concept that is health is direct and reciprocal. Research has shown that based on individual’s knowledge of emotions, which over 80% of all physicians’ visits have to do with a includes causes of emotion, sensations of the body and socio-emotional challenge, while just only 16% could be about behavior that are expressed, and their possible considered solely pathophysiologic in nature. One study means of modification [1]. Repression of emotion discovered that 84 % of 567 common complaints, such implies the act of masking facial and bodily expressions as dizziness and chest pain, indicated no medical in order to conceal a current emotional status. diagnosis [9]. A recent study out of the UK discovered Repression of emotion can also be defined as the that about 25% of all new specialty referrals and about intentional and automatic method by which individuals 20% of all referrals requiring surgery resulted in no exert control over the emotions they have, altering particular medical diagnoses [10]. It becomes imperative factors like when and how the emotions are experienced and clear that a more keen understanding of the roles of and expressed [2]. Effective regulation of emotion emotions in the occurrence and progression of enables the individual to adaptively cope with a broad symptomatic suffering is necessary in order to curtail the range of environmental eventualities. However, when it staggering amount of medical costs spent involved in goes uneven or lopsided, it becomes increasingly diagnosing these symptoms that are borne out of recognized and its negative consequences may pose emotional imbalance. Abbass (2002) further made this danger to emotional and cognitive health. It may thus very clear by documenting the enormous cost savings to become a potential development or maintenance factor the system when such cases are given brief emotionally in mental or physical disease conditions [3-5]. Toxic focused psychotherapy [11]. Learning and affect is talking about the novel idea that negative understanding how and when such therapies come into emotional conditions can have consequences for the the treatment plan of medical systems will be a great physical health of an individual. Reviews from available service to all and sundry. research indicate that both anxiety disorders and Management of Emotions depressive symptoms are implicated as risk factors for people with cardiac abnormalities [6]. The ways in which humans manage their emotions has become one of the most important but It becomes important to understand the positive least examined concerns in medicine today. Emotions and negative consequences of different emotion are physiological phenomena [12]. When poorly regulation strategies. In this respect, controversy is managed or regulated, they can lead to negative health ongoing in the field about the repercussions of and psychological consequences [13]. deliberate attempts to repress emotion, defined here as intentional attempts to down-regulate the inward One important factor that links emotions and experience and outward expression of undesired effect. health disorders has to do with the (dys) regulation of Contradictory predictions arise from normative and emotions [14]. Patients with difficulties in managing clinical works of literature concerning the consequences their emotions subject their health and well being into of such repression of emotion. gross negligence and as a result are more likely to display a history of substance abuse, poor nutrition, and Clinical and Normative Findings disordered eating, lack of exercise, abnormal sleep People repeatedly and rapidly forget and patterns, poor compliance with medical interventions re-discover that emotional status has a direct and and behaviors that are injurious to one self. These profound influence on physical and mental health [7]. patients make use of medical services like emergency Freud discovered links between repression of emotion rooms and medications, at tremendous rates. Because and physical symptoms nearly a century ago. Wolff and they often fail to stick to the directives of medical advice his colleagues also documented fixed physiological and treatment prescriptions, such patient s create responses to emotional activation in more than three www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 17 Freely Available Online conflicts with health workers and are more likely to file from common colds to cancer [5]. Again, individuals complaints in the court than patients that are who mask and deny their inward feelings, or outwardly emotionally healthy and stable [15]. vent their emotions, characteristically suffer most. “Studies of patients with serious medical conditions such It is important to acknowledge that feelings and as cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, and obesity, reveals emotions are not responsible for health disorders and that those who do not comply with medical advice also sicknesses. Rather it is the protracted reliance on show strong use of defense mechanisms” [5]. Other self-defense against the expression of emotions and findings have demonstrated that patient with cancer and feelings that creates the tension required for the disease other forms of malignancy that chronically mask their to thrive [16]. Conversely, the free and uninterrupted experiences and feelings are more liable to die despite expression of emotion possesses clear and sustainable treatments than expressive patients [18, 19]. Empirical benefits for physical and mental health and general well evidence indicates a substantial reduction in pain and being. In fact, research on aging and longevity has discomfort from arthritis following the expression of demonstrated that psychological factors bordering on negative. As a matter of fact, the amount of relief from emotions are more important predictors of a long, pain and discomfort reported by patients with chronic healthy life than other factors like diet and illness has been found to be commensurate with how activeness [17]. Individuals who remain actively involved able they are too deeply and authentically express their in issues of life has a sense of hope and sheer optimism emotions and feelings. The table 1 shows some of the and can deal with moments of sadness by finding physiological manifestations repression of emotion purpose and meaning, instead of bowing to depressed health workers are likely to come across. and despondency. They are also more likely to live longer and healthier than their pessimistic counterparts. Psychological Consequences of Repression Physiological Consequences of Repression Repression of emotion is one of the most common strategies of regulating emotion used by Studies by Pennebaker and his colleagues humans. Clinical traditions made it clear that the (1997) demonstrated that individuals who repress their psychological health of an individual depends on how emotions also suppress their body’s immunity, making effective impulses are managed or regulated; the them more vulnerable to a variety of illnesses ranging Table 1. Emotionally linked complaints and disorders (Abbass, 2005) Specialty Complaint/Disorder Cardiology Hypertension, Chest Pain, Palpitations Dermatology Psoriasis, Dermatitis, Itching Endocrinology Fatigue, Obesity, Thyroid Dysfunction Gastroenterology Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Dyspepsia, Abdominal Pain Internal Medicine Weakness, Pain, Fatigue Neurology Conversion, Paralysis, Headache, Dizziness, Pseudo- Gynecology Pelvic Pain, Sexual Dysfunction, Infertility Ophthalmology Visual Blurring, Tunnel Vision, Blindness Respirology Shortness Of Breath, Choking Spells, Chest Pain Rheumatology Fibromyalgia, Fatigue, Chronic Pain Surgery Back Pain, Neck Pain, Abdominal Pain Urology Urethral Syndrome, Sexual Dysfunction www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 18 Freely Available Online consequences of effective regulation and management deal with the stress [25]. Concealing and repressing are, therefore, the main focus of researchers in clinical emotions can give rise to stress-related physiological psychology. Gross & Levenson (1993) explained how reactions. The occurrence of stress is as a result of the the psychological consequences directly related to social disapproval and punishment of overt emotional repression of emotion are subjects of frequent dispute expression that cause repression which is itself among researchers [4]. Researchers such as Cannon intimidating and stressful [26]. There are certain fields (1927) and Jones (1935) are of the opinion that of human endeavor which require the repression of suppressing a physical emotional response while positive or negative emotions such as: estate agents emotionally prompted to express will increase the who may hide their happiness when a good offer is intensity of the emotional experience as a result of the tabled on house sake of maintaining their concentration on suppressing the emotion [20, 21]. professionalism, or primary school teachers suppressing These researchers debate that common sense makes us their anger or disappointment sake of upsetting their understand that emotions become increasingly severe young pupils when teaching them good morals. or intense the longer they are bottled up. Some other Recently, researchers have started to look into researchers such as Darwin (1872) and Tomkins (1984) the effects which continual repression of emotion in the express their disagreement with this theory with the workplace may have on people [27]. Cote (2005) stated view that emotional expression is crucial to the overall that continual repression brings about stress on emotional response and that when there is repression, individuals making use of it [27]. Stress brought about all other contingent responses (e.g. physiological) are by such protracted repression of emotion can cause an weakened [22, 23]. Darwin (1872) and Tomkins (1984) increase in heart rate, anxiety, low level of commitment threw more light on this argument by stating the and other effects which can be detrimental to the obvious that people are taught to count numbers to ten productivity of an employee. The popular belief is that when emotionally distressed in order to calm repression of emotion in the workplace is advantageous down [22, 23]. If repression of emotions were to for the organization and dangerous for the employee on increase the intensity of the expressible emotional a long-term basis. However, Cote (2005) discovered experience, this counting tradition would only increase that factors giving rise to the social dynamics of the response of the person emotionally aroused; emotions determine whether regulation of emotion however, the reverse is actually the case [22, 23]. affects stress or not [27]. The repression of unpleasant Unfortunately, few pieces of research have been emotions such as anger gives rise to elevated levels of conducted to test these hypotheses [24]. The fact that stress. people have contrasting opinions on which is the Repression and Depression: The Link idea- to repress emotion by counting numerals to ten to Repression of emotion, as a strategy to regulate calm down before acting or expressing the way you feel emotions, is useful in certain aspects of life such as because repressing your emotions is injurious to your supporting ambitions pursuits and bringing satisfaction mental health is of increasing interest and concerns to to hedonic needs [28]. In as much as repression of experts in the psychology of emotions. emotion is regarded as a weak influence on emotional The Connection with Stress experience, it plays other useful roles. Repression of The various physiological, cognitive, and emotion is a goal-oriented strategy which is guided by motivational, and physiological attributes of emotions people’s beliefs and customs and potentially by abstract may shed some light on their relation with hypertension ideas about the regulation of emotion [28]. In a as one of the risk factors of cardiac malfunction. research conducted by Larsen et al. (2012) the Previous studies has indicated that stress is linked with researchers investigated the possibility of a positive increased cortisol levels, This has gained support from association between repression of emotion and other research findings showing that how the body symptoms of depression in adults and adolescents responds during stress depend on how one is able to under the influence of peer victimization and parental www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 19 Freely Available Online support [28]. A reciprocal relationship was discovered to feelings: the acute effects of inhibiting negative and exist between parental support and symptoms of positive emotion. Journal of abnormal psychology depression but there was no symptom of depression 106, 95. with peer victimization. Depressive symptoms were 5. Pennebaker, J.W. (1997). Opening up: The healing discovered in the subjects following decreased power of expressing emotions, (Guilford Press). perception of parental support after a year. 6. Suls, J., and Bunde, J. (2005). Anger, anxiety, and Recommendations and Conclusion depression as risk factors for cardiovascular disease: In conclusion, it is clear that expressing one’s the problems and implications of overlapping true emotions and the feeling is crucial to physical affective dispositions. Psychological bulletin 131, health, mental health, and general well being, while a 260. reliance on concealment gives rise to a barrier to good 7. Coughlin Della Selva, P. (2006). Emotional health. In as much as having a family member or a processing in the treatment of psychosomatic trusted friend to confide in seems like the best option, it disorders. Journal of clinical psychology 62, 539-550. is not the only one. Talking with a psychotherapist or a 8. Wolff, H.G. (1968). Stress and disease, (Thomas). counselor is another method of getting help. 9. Kroenke, K., and Mangelsdorff, A.D. (1989). Alternatively, one may resort to writing down ones true Common symptoms in ambulatory care: incidence, feelings and emotions, or simply recording with tape the evaluation, therapy, and outcome. The American particular events in one's life that have been most journal of medicine 86, 262-266. upsetting and emotionally distressing. These practices have been found to have beneficial effects in managing 10. Reid, S., Wessely, S., Crayford, T., and Hotopf, M. and regulating emotions. Facing what one has been (2001). Medically unexplained symptoms in frequent trying to avoid can elevate one's sense of distress or attenders of secondary health care: retrospective emotional arousal in the short term, the benefits are far cohort study. Bmj 322, 767. much greater as one gains emotional stability, physical 11. Abbass, A.A. (2003). The cost-effectiveness of and mental health, and also a wider understanding of short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Expert review of oneself and others. Most importantly, the long-term pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research 3, benefits are only for people who are willing to get 535-539. involved in this process emotionally. Having someone to 12. Antonio, D. (1999). The feeling of what happens: talk to about your feelings in a state of detachment will Body and emotion in the making of consciousness. not help one achieve much in becoming emotionally (New York: Harcourt). stable, talking to an expert will do more. 13. Abbass, A. (2005). The case for specialty-specific References core curriculum on emotions and health. Royal Coll 1. Niedenthal, P.M., Krauth-Gruber, S., and Ric, F. Outlook 4, 5-7. (2006). Psychology of emotion: Interpersonal, 14. Appleton, A., and Kubzansky, L. (2014). Emotion experimental and cognitive approaches. (New York: regulation and cardiovascular disease risk. Psychology Press.), p. 432. Handbook of emotion regulation 2, 596-612. 2. Gross, J. (1989). Emotional expression in cancer 15. Lanyon, R.I., and Almer, E.R. (2002). Characteristics onset and progression. Social Science & Medicine of compensable disability patients who choose to 28, 1239-1248. litigate. Journal of the American Academy of 3. Berenbaum, H., Raghavan, C., Le, H.N., Vernon, Psychiatry and the Law Online 30, 400-404. L.L., and Gomez, J.J. (2003). A taxonomy of 16. Cramer, P. (2000). Defense mechanisms in emotional disturbances. Clinical Psychology: Science psychology today: Further processes for adaptation. and Practice 10, 206-226. American Psychologist 55, 637. 4. Gross, J.J., and Levenson, R.W. (1997). Hiding www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 20 Freely Available Online 17. Danner, D.D., Snowdon, D.A., and Friesen, W.V. Gross, J.J., Hofman, E., Scholte, R.H., and Engels, (2001). Positive emotions in early life and longevity: R.C. (2012). Social coping by masking? Parental findings from the nun study. Journal of personality support and peer victimization as mediators of the and social psychology 80, 804. relationship between depressive symptoms and expressive suppression in adolescents. Journal of 18. Derogatis, L.R., Abeloff, M.D., and Melisaratos, N. Youth and Adolescence 41, 1628-1642. (1979). Psychological coping mechanisms and survival time in metastatic breast cancer. Jama 242, 1504-1508. 19. Goldstein, D.A., and Antoni, M.H. (1989). The distribution of repressive coping styles among non-metastatic and metastatic breast cancer patients as compared to non-cancer patients. Psychology and Health 3, 245-258. 20. Cannon, W.B. (1927). The James-Lange theory of emotions: A critical examination and an alternative theory. The American journal of psychology 39, 106-124. 21. Jones, H.E. (1935). The galvanic skin reflex as related to overt emotional expression. The American Journal of Psychology 47, 241-251. 22. Recognition Darwin, C. (1872). The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. M]. London: John Murray. 23. Ekman, P. (1984). Expression and the nature of emotion. InK. R. Scherer & P. Ekman (Eds.), Approaches to emotion. Hillsdale, N] Erlbaum pp. 319–344. 24. Gross, J.J., and Levenson, R.W. (1993). Emotional suppression: physiology, self-report, and expressive behavior. Journal of personality and social psychology 64, 970. 25. Jamieson, J.P., Hangen, E.J., Lee, H.Y., and Yeager, D.S. (2018). Capitalizing on appraisal processes to improve affective responses to social stress. Emotion Review 10, 30-39. 26. Buck, R. (2003). Emotional expression, suppression, and control: Nonverbal communication in cultural context. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research 32, 175-187. 27. Cote, S. (2005). A social interaction model of the effects of emotion regulation on work strain. Academy of management review 30, 509-530. 28. Larsen, J.K., Vermulst, A.A., Eisinga, R., English, T., www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 21 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png International Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research Unpaywall

Consequences of Repression of Emotion: Physical Health, Mental Health and General Well Being

International Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and ResearchFeb 12, 2019

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Abstract

The widely held belief that emotional and psychological processes affect our physical health, mental health and general well-being are central to a holistic view of the individual, and as such, it is a useful foundational concept in integrative medicine. The purpose of this paper is to review substantial amounts of the latest research and recent findings on this issue to enable us to throw some light on how inhibitory factors to emotional expression and experience can endanger our health, both physically and psychologically including our general well being. In addition, the connection between repression of emotion and certain mental disorders like depression and scientifically proven healthy ways to manage issues bordering on emotion was outlined. The information contained in this paper is just as important to health care providers and also to the patients they deal with. Corresponding author: Prittesh Patel, Assistant Professor, C. G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, Uka Tarsadia University, Bardoli, Maliba Campus, Surat, Gujarat, India, Tel: +91 9913668812; Email: pritteshpatel@gmail.com Key words: Emotion, Psychology, Depression, Patients, Mental Health, Repression Received: Dec 22, 2018 Accepted: Feb 09, 2019 Published: Feb 12, 2019 Editor: Wei Xu, School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, China. www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 16 Freely Available Online decades worth of research [8]. More recently, research Introduction findings have been adding up in support of the notion In psychology, repression of emotion is an that the relationship between emotional and physical aspect of emotion regulation. It is a concept that is health is direct and reciprocal. Research has shown that based on individual’s knowledge of emotions, which over 80% of all physicians’ visits have to do with a includes causes of emotion, sensations of the body and socio-emotional challenge, while just only 16% could be about behavior that are expressed, and their possible considered solely pathophysiologic in nature. One study means of modification [1]. Repression of emotion discovered that 84 % of 567 common complaints, such implies the act of masking facial and bodily expressions as dizziness and chest pain, indicated no medical in order to conceal a current emotional status. diagnosis [9]. A recent study out of the UK discovered Repression of emotion can also be defined as the that about 25% of all new specialty referrals and about intentional and automatic method by which individuals 20% of all referrals requiring surgery resulted in no exert control over the emotions they have, altering particular medical diagnoses [10]. It becomes imperative factors like when and how the emotions are experienced and clear that a more keen understanding of the roles of and expressed [2]. Effective regulation of emotion emotions in the occurrence and progression of enables the individual to adaptively cope with a broad symptomatic suffering is necessary in order to curtail the range of environmental eventualities. However, when it staggering amount of medical costs spent involved in goes uneven or lopsided, it becomes increasingly diagnosing these symptoms that are borne out of recognized and its negative consequences may pose emotional imbalance. Abbass (2002) further made this danger to emotional and cognitive health. It may thus very clear by documenting the enormous cost savings to become a potential development or maintenance factor the system when such cases are given brief emotionally in mental or physical disease conditions [3-5]. Toxic focused psychotherapy [11]. Learning and affect is talking about the novel idea that negative understanding how and when such therapies come into emotional conditions can have consequences for the the treatment plan of medical systems will be a great physical health of an individual. Reviews from available service to all and sundry. research indicate that both anxiety disorders and Management of Emotions depressive symptoms are implicated as risk factors for people with cardiac abnormalities [6]. The ways in which humans manage their emotions has become one of the most important but It becomes important to understand the positive least examined concerns in medicine today. Emotions and negative consequences of different emotion are physiological phenomena [12]. When poorly regulation strategies. In this respect, controversy is managed or regulated, they can lead to negative health ongoing in the field about the repercussions of and psychological consequences [13]. deliberate attempts to repress emotion, defined here as intentional attempts to down-regulate the inward One important factor that links emotions and experience and outward expression of undesired effect. health disorders has to do with the (dys) regulation of Contradictory predictions arise from normative and emotions [14]. Patients with difficulties in managing clinical works of literature concerning the consequences their emotions subject their health and well being into of such repression of emotion. gross negligence and as a result are more likely to display a history of substance abuse, poor nutrition, and Clinical and Normative Findings disordered eating, lack of exercise, abnormal sleep People repeatedly and rapidly forget and patterns, poor compliance with medical interventions re-discover that emotional status has a direct and and behaviors that are injurious to one self. These profound influence on physical and mental health [7]. patients make use of medical services like emergency Freud discovered links between repression of emotion rooms and medications, at tremendous rates. Because and physical symptoms nearly a century ago. Wolff and they often fail to stick to the directives of medical advice his colleagues also documented fixed physiological and treatment prescriptions, such patient s create responses to emotional activation in more than three www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 17 Freely Available Online conflicts with health workers and are more likely to file from common colds to cancer [5]. Again, individuals complaints in the court than patients that are who mask and deny their inward feelings, or outwardly emotionally healthy and stable [15]. vent their emotions, characteristically suffer most. “Studies of patients with serious medical conditions such It is important to acknowledge that feelings and as cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, and obesity, reveals emotions are not responsible for health disorders and that those who do not comply with medical advice also sicknesses. Rather it is the protracted reliance on show strong use of defense mechanisms” [5]. Other self-defense against the expression of emotions and findings have demonstrated that patient with cancer and feelings that creates the tension required for the disease other forms of malignancy that chronically mask their to thrive [16]. Conversely, the free and uninterrupted experiences and feelings are more liable to die despite expression of emotion possesses clear and sustainable treatments than expressive patients [18, 19]. Empirical benefits for physical and mental health and general well evidence indicates a substantial reduction in pain and being. In fact, research on aging and longevity has discomfort from arthritis following the expression of demonstrated that psychological factors bordering on negative. As a matter of fact, the amount of relief from emotions are more important predictors of a long, pain and discomfort reported by patients with chronic healthy life than other factors like diet and illness has been found to be commensurate with how activeness [17]. Individuals who remain actively involved able they are too deeply and authentically express their in issues of life has a sense of hope and sheer optimism emotions and feelings. The table 1 shows some of the and can deal with moments of sadness by finding physiological manifestations repression of emotion purpose and meaning, instead of bowing to depressed health workers are likely to come across. and despondency. They are also more likely to live longer and healthier than their pessimistic counterparts. Psychological Consequences of Repression Physiological Consequences of Repression Repression of emotion is one of the most common strategies of regulating emotion used by Studies by Pennebaker and his colleagues humans. Clinical traditions made it clear that the (1997) demonstrated that individuals who repress their psychological health of an individual depends on how emotions also suppress their body’s immunity, making effective impulses are managed or regulated; the them more vulnerable to a variety of illnesses ranging Table 1. Emotionally linked complaints and disorders (Abbass, 2005) Specialty Complaint/Disorder Cardiology Hypertension, Chest Pain, Palpitations Dermatology Psoriasis, Dermatitis, Itching Endocrinology Fatigue, Obesity, Thyroid Dysfunction Gastroenterology Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Dyspepsia, Abdominal Pain Internal Medicine Weakness, Pain, Fatigue Neurology Conversion, Paralysis, Headache, Dizziness, Pseudo- Gynecology Pelvic Pain, Sexual Dysfunction, Infertility Ophthalmology Visual Blurring, Tunnel Vision, Blindness Respirology Shortness Of Breath, Choking Spells, Chest Pain Rheumatology Fibromyalgia, Fatigue, Chronic Pain Surgery Back Pain, Neck Pain, Abdominal Pain Urology Urethral Syndrome, Sexual Dysfunction www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 18 Freely Available Online consequences of effective regulation and management deal with the stress [25]. Concealing and repressing are, therefore, the main focus of researchers in clinical emotions can give rise to stress-related physiological psychology. Gross & Levenson (1993) explained how reactions. The occurrence of stress is as a result of the the psychological consequences directly related to social disapproval and punishment of overt emotional repression of emotion are subjects of frequent dispute expression that cause repression which is itself among researchers [4]. Researchers such as Cannon intimidating and stressful [26]. There are certain fields (1927) and Jones (1935) are of the opinion that of human endeavor which require the repression of suppressing a physical emotional response while positive or negative emotions such as: estate agents emotionally prompted to express will increase the who may hide their happiness when a good offer is intensity of the emotional experience as a result of the tabled on house sake of maintaining their concentration on suppressing the emotion [20, 21]. professionalism, or primary school teachers suppressing These researchers debate that common sense makes us their anger or disappointment sake of upsetting their understand that emotions become increasingly severe young pupils when teaching them good morals. or intense the longer they are bottled up. Some other Recently, researchers have started to look into researchers such as Darwin (1872) and Tomkins (1984) the effects which continual repression of emotion in the express their disagreement with this theory with the workplace may have on people [27]. Cote (2005) stated view that emotional expression is crucial to the overall that continual repression brings about stress on emotional response and that when there is repression, individuals making use of it [27]. Stress brought about all other contingent responses (e.g. physiological) are by such protracted repression of emotion can cause an weakened [22, 23]. Darwin (1872) and Tomkins (1984) increase in heart rate, anxiety, low level of commitment threw more light on this argument by stating the and other effects which can be detrimental to the obvious that people are taught to count numbers to ten productivity of an employee. The popular belief is that when emotionally distressed in order to calm repression of emotion in the workplace is advantageous down [22, 23]. If repression of emotions were to for the organization and dangerous for the employee on increase the intensity of the expressible emotional a long-term basis. However, Cote (2005) discovered experience, this counting tradition would only increase that factors giving rise to the social dynamics of the response of the person emotionally aroused; emotions determine whether regulation of emotion however, the reverse is actually the case [22, 23]. affects stress or not [27]. The repression of unpleasant Unfortunately, few pieces of research have been emotions such as anger gives rise to elevated levels of conducted to test these hypotheses [24]. The fact that stress. people have contrasting opinions on which is the Repression and Depression: The Link idea- to repress emotion by counting numerals to ten to Repression of emotion, as a strategy to regulate calm down before acting or expressing the way you feel emotions, is useful in certain aspects of life such as because repressing your emotions is injurious to your supporting ambitions pursuits and bringing satisfaction mental health is of increasing interest and concerns to to hedonic needs [28]. In as much as repression of experts in the psychology of emotions. emotion is regarded as a weak influence on emotional The Connection with Stress experience, it plays other useful roles. Repression of The various physiological, cognitive, and emotion is a goal-oriented strategy which is guided by motivational, and physiological attributes of emotions people’s beliefs and customs and potentially by abstract may shed some light on their relation with hypertension ideas about the regulation of emotion [28]. In a as one of the risk factors of cardiac malfunction. research conducted by Larsen et al. (2012) the Previous studies has indicated that stress is linked with researchers investigated the possibility of a positive increased cortisol levels, This has gained support from association between repression of emotion and other research findings showing that how the body symptoms of depression in adults and adolescents responds during stress depend on how one is able to under the influence of peer victimization and parental www.openaccesspub.org | IJPR CC-license DOI : 10.14302/issn.2574-612X.ijpr-18-2564 Vol-1 Issue 3 Pg. no.- 19 Freely Available Online support [28]. A reciprocal relationship was discovered to feelings: the acute effects of inhibiting negative and exist between parental support and symptoms of positive emotion. Journal of abnormal psychology depression but there was no symptom of depression 106, 95. with peer victimization. Depressive symptoms were 5. Pennebaker, J.W. (1997). Opening up: The healing discovered in the subjects following decreased power of expressing emotions, (Guilford Press). perception of parental support after a year. 6. Suls, J., and Bunde, J. (2005). Anger, anxiety, and Recommendations and Conclusion depression as risk factors for cardiovascular disease: In conclusion, it is clear that expressing one’s the problems and implications of overlapping true emotions and the feeling is crucial to physical affective dispositions. Psychological bulletin 131, health, mental health, and general well being, while a 260. reliance on concealment gives rise to a barrier to good 7. Coughlin Della Selva, P. (2006). Emotional health. In as much as having a family member or a processing in the treatment of psychosomatic trusted friend to confide in seems like the best option, it disorders. Journal of clinical psychology 62, 539-550. is not the only one. Talking with a psychotherapist or a 8. Wolff, H.G. (1968). Stress and disease, (Thomas). counselor is another method of getting help. 9. Kroenke, K., and Mangelsdorff, A.D. (1989). Alternatively, one may resort to writing down ones true Common symptoms in ambulatory care: incidence, feelings and emotions, or simply recording with tape the evaluation, therapy, and outcome. The American particular events in one's life that have been most journal of medicine 86, 262-266. upsetting and emotionally distressing. These practices have been found to have beneficial effects in managing 10. Reid, S., Wessely, S., Crayford, T., and Hotopf, M. and regulating emotions. Facing what one has been (2001). Medically unexplained symptoms in frequent trying to avoid can elevate one's sense of distress or attenders of secondary health care: retrospective emotional arousal in the short term, the benefits are far cohort study. Bmj 322, 767. much greater as one gains emotional stability, physical 11. Abbass, A.A. (2003). The cost-effectiveness of and mental health, and also a wider understanding of short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Expert review of oneself and others. Most importantly, the long-term pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research 3, benefits are only for people who are willing to get 535-539. involved in this process emotionally. Having someone to 12. Antonio, D. (1999). The feeling of what happens: talk to about your feelings in a state of detachment will Body and emotion in the making of consciousness. not help one achieve much in becoming emotionally (New York: Harcourt). stable, talking to an expert will do more. 13. Abbass, A. (2005). 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Published: Feb 12, 2019

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