This past Winter was very rough for me in terms of emotional stability. As a result, I find myself particularly sensitive. I have always had a sensitive nature, but now I find that tears well up at the least provocation.
I am posting this to see what methods might be suggested that will help me bring my emotions back under control. Thank you for reading. 🙂
Hi Scott,
Well, there are many things that can help and you'll get numerous different answers, so you'll have to investigate for yourself what each is about and what they can do for you.
Firstly you can take a look at EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) which has a main website of www.emofree.com where you can get the manual for free and practice it on yourself. There are plenty of EFT people around here who will be more than happy to offer advice and guidance if you get stuck. There's also FreewayCER (www.freewaycer.com) which is similar in some ways to EFT but also has some different techniques involved and has been known to work more quickly than EFT. Of course, there is life coaching which can help you sort out where you want to go with your life, NLP and Hypnotherapy to help reanchor negative emotions with positive ones, Reiki, Crystal Healing, Bach Flower Remedies, Aromatherapy, Homeopathy... and the list goes on.
If you are focused mainly on your emotions I would say start with reading up on EFT. 😉
All Love and Reiki Hugs
Hi Scott, I reckon you should continue to cry, I am sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear, but crying is a release and by 'bringing your emotions under control' as you say, all you are doing is pushing away what you are really feeling. In our society we are taught from very young not to show our emotions, even more so if you are a man, it's like some awful step by step to doom thing if you cry = sadness if you get sad= depression if you get depressed = you are loopy, there is still a lot of stigma attached to emotional/mental health even today, tell yourself it's ok to cry it's ok to feel sad, it's not WHO you are you are NOT your experiences, your sadness is a snapshot during this journey we call life it's not forever, nothing ever is.
Like Gyles said have a look at EFT it's a wonderful thing, start by tapping for why you feel the need to control your emotions, allow yourself to feel them believe me it won't kill you like we all think it will, I know I did when I first began to heal 6 years ago but I am still here!
Love
Rebecca x
This past Winter was very rough for me in terms of emotional stability. As a result, I find myself particularly sensitive. I have always had a sensitive nature, but now I find that tears well up at the least provocation.
I am posting this to see what methods might be suggested that will help me bring my emotions back under control. Thank you for reading. 🙂
Scott,my heart goes out to you.I have been there and last winter was also fairly rough for me.I was always sensitive and took every comment or verbal tone completely to heart.The thing I had to realise was that if another is ving a bad day their tone can rub off on you and may not be intended.To simplify,I had various treatments,homeopathy,(which had me crying daily,and I mean I REALLY felt like my physical heart would break).My HOMEOPATHIC CONSULTANT is absolutely brilliant and explained everything to me and that a healing crisis may occur,I KNEW this is what is was.All my past problems,like self confidence,my daughter leaving to go to college etc,hit me like a ton of bricks.I would cry at home,in the car and it was uncontrolabe crying.I then started to recover and felt brillliant,life changed in spectacular ways,however,sometimes Id find other issues arising,some issues I could not change from the past,but I could change how I reacted by changing my thoughts.I also used Bach flower essences,again aware that issues can come to the surface.Joining Healthy pages has further healed me,doing the EFT has without doubt been fantastic,also a fellow member has sent me distant EFT,I canot thank this person enough.(she holds a special place in my heart).I am not the person I was and would not want to go back there,it has been hard but worth it.
Scott,o paraphrase,there are many treatments out there,everybody is different but I think unless you are open to them,you will never know.
I had a very good job in management,I tried all my life to make people proud of me,and as time went on,I found all my problems rising to the surface,I HAD buried them,but the subconscious has a way of releasing them,it was the darkest place Ive ever been.I had a breakdown,but glad to say that I crawled my way back.If Im honest,the best thing I did was join HP,they are wonderful people,I know that you are at the beginging of a ROAD,just keep going,do not turn back and when you catch up with me,we can celebrate together.Always remember you must learn to love yourself first and foremost,you have a right to live,love and be loved,I also find that to be grateful for all you have sends a positive vibe back to you from the universe.
Just thought...
Patrick Zeigler is holding another All Love workshop in Staffordshire on 23rd/24th May
http://www.all-love.com/members/alllove/cal/VIEW+2009+May+23
Now that really is an experience and a way of letting it all out. Plenty of crying, plenty of support and something I was pleased to have attended last year, with a great bunch of people. A great way of letting go of those past emotions we hang onto. (And you get to meet Patrick as a bonus. 😉 )
The calender on the all-love site shows it as just May 23rd, but I'm sure it's 2 day course again from what I've heard from Debra who is organising it.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions. I'll try to address each of you in turn.
Rebecca, I don't wish to bottle up my emotions, as I don't have a problem with crying (I think I'm your more-sensitive-than-usual sort of guy). But I also don't want tears welling up for some trivial thing that normally wouldn't warrant it, because then people want to know what is really wrong.
Star99, I can sympathise with you on your daughter going off to college. My son is in his second year at uni and this past Winter it hit me that I really missed him (part of being overly-sensitive, as he is not that far away being that I am in Harrogate and he is in York). I have a wonderful aromatherapist/reflexologist that I see twice a month. I don't think I've ever been as in tune with someone as I am with her. It is to her credit that I am exploring the healing path that I am on now, as she felt I had the gift. When I am in her presence, I can't be anything except happy. She helped me get through some of my darkest moments this past Winter by helping me to understand what was going on in my head and heart.
Energylz, I had a couple of EFT sessions earlier in the year. The first session attempted to tackle my depression. I had temporary relief that didn't last long. The second session, we tackled a childhood memory that has had a life-long effect on me. The experience was amazing as we modified the memory. But I'm not sure what the final benefit of that will be. I have not tried the EFT procedure on my own. Maybe I'll give it a go sometime, but I'm still not sure of its benefits. I like the life coaching idea, and may look into that. I don't want to try hypnotherapy because of certain complications such a procedure entails. I can't say why in an open forum, but if you are curious, PM me and I'll do my best to explain.
Again, I want to thank you all for the great suggestions. The life coaching strikes me as something to look at. HP is a wonderful place for advice, friends and support, even if I am at odds with some once in a while. 🙂
Hi Scott,
Depression is not something that can be treated in just one or two sessions of EFT. The reason for this is that depression is more than just a single issue, it is (more often than not) made up of multiple issues all bolstering each other. To use something like EFT for depression could take time and would involved tackling issues as you recognise what they are. Some will be big issues, some will be smaller issues and it would be up to you in what order you wished to treat them. If you do EFT for yourself, you can do it as and when something comes up. 😉
All Love and Reiki Hugs
:hippy:Hello Scott,
Depression is something that affects everybody,and we all deal with it differently.but going to your GP, miht be the best solution at this moment in time for you,
a short course of antidepression tablets could work for you , or antidepession tablets and CBT,therepy that is very affective for depression.
take care
Another thought... (ooo! I'm full of 'em today! hehe!)
A natural supplement that some people find beneficial in place of taking pharmaceutical anti depressants (which often have some sort of side effect, but can also be beneficial to help get back on your feet if necessary), is something called L5-HTP (L5 - Hydroxytryptophan) or sometimes just called 5HTP.
A common cause of depression is where there is a lack of seratonin getting to the brain. If my memory serves me right (just recalling this off the top of my head)...
Our body has an amino acid called tryptophan. This is then converted into 5-HTP by our body, which is then converted again into 5-HT (aka. Seratonin) which is known to be good for maintaining a happy brain. When there are low levels of the amino acid in our body our seratonin level drops and we can become depressed.
Pharma anti-depressants tend to act by blocking our body's natural process of disposing of seratonin (not all is picked up by the brain) and recycling it so there is more available for our brain to pick up. Of course, changing the way our body works from it's natural ways is what can cause side effects. Different AD's can work slightly differently, but you get the idea.
The supplement L5-HTP that you can buy from health food shops etc. is simply a supplement extracted from the seeds of a certain plant (grown in Africa I think). So by taking this supplement, this simply increases the level of L5-HTP that is available for the body to convert to seratonin, not effecting the way the body naturally operates.
It may be worth taking a look at (there's lots of info on the web), and consider discussing it with your doctor.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
Very interesting,any contraindications that you know of? energyzl
:hippy:Hello Scott,
Depression is something that affects everybody,and we all deal with it differently.but going to your GP, miht be the best solution at this moment in time for you,
a short course of antidepression tablets could work for you , or antidepession tablets and CBT,therepy that is very affective for depression.take care
I did go see my GP about 6 weeks ago and got an antidepressant. After 4 days, the side effects hit me hard. I spent an entire day feeling really dreadful and weighed in my mind whether I could deal with the side effects for up to 2 weeks or deal with my emotions. I chose the latter. On a follow-up, the GP agreed I probably didn't need them.
Energylz,
I did do some research on natural antidepressants and found mixed opinion. But I didn't see anything on L5-HTP. I will check into it. Thanks for the pointer.
Quick google..
http://www.raysahelian.com/5-htp.html
HTP side effects
5-HTP was introduced to the over the counter market in 1994. Our understanding of 5-HTP's clinical role and its side effect profile is still fuzzy. We don't know as much as we should about the side effects of chronic 5-HTP use for depression or other conditions. Therefore, until we learn more, the idea is to take 5-HTP in the minimum effective dosage and to avoid its prolonged continuous use. I tell my patients who use 5-HTP for depression or other reasons to take frequent breaks to avoid potential 5-HTP side effects (the frequency and length of breaks varies since each person is unique). During these breaks, other forms of therapy could be substituted. As of now, and after more than a decade off 5-HTP being available to the public, I am not aware of any reports in the medical literature of anyone who has encountered life threatening or other serious 5 HTP side effects. It's best to be cautious, limit use to 50 mg or at most 100 mg a day, and take breaks.
Common side effects with high dosage of 5 HTP include nausea, stomach upset, loose stools or constipation, and headache. Regular use of 5 HTP could lead to reduce sex drive or libido. Could 5 HTP be an effective supplement for those with sex addiction?
[DLMURL] http://www.swallowhealthydiet.com/enteric-coated-l5htp-p-405.html [/DLMURL]
Contraindications: Not to be used by those currently taking prescribed antidepressants. 5HTP may cause drowsiness in some individuals.
[DLMURL] http://www.trophic.net/products/amino_acids.html [/DLMURL]
CAUTIONS AND WARNINGS
Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you are taking carbidopa or drugs/supplements with serotonergic activity. These may include but are not limited to, L-tryptophan, A-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), St. John's Wort, antidepressants, pain killers, over the counter cough and cold medication containing dextro-metorphan, anti-nausea medication and anti-migrane medication. Discontinue use and consult a health care practitioner if you show signs of weakness, oral ulcers, or abdominal pain accompanied by severe muscle pain or if you experience skin changesCONTRAINDICATIONS:
Do not use if you have scleroderma.ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS:
Some people may experience drowsiness. Exercise caution if operating heavy machinery, driving a motor vehicle or involved in activities requiring mental alertness. Some people may experience diarrhea, nausea, vomitting and abdominal pain.
And perhaps the most readable one (I'll just link to it):
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/5-hydroxytryptophan-000283.htm
So, yes, it can potentially have some side effects (like too much of anything in life), and there are a few contraindications.
It's always a good idea to research these things for yourself rather than take anyone elses word for it.
I speak from personal experience as I know someone who was on prescribed AD's, who I helped them to get off them (as they had become reliant on them even though there were nasty side effects, and worse effects when trying to come off them), and then this person tried L5 HTP after I researched on the web myself. For them, they found no side effects of L5 HTP and only found benefit from them. Occasionally they still go back to them, but have in the meantime been able to sort out their depression issues (causes) via other therapies to help.
All Love and Reiki Hugs
Greatly appreciate this info.Energylz,thank you.:)
Some useful info here 🙂
May I add some advice from Patrick Holford's Optimum Nutrition Bible:
"Sub-optimum nutrition results in poor mental and physical energy. Disturbed blood sugar balance and lack of omega-3 fats can make you depressed. If you are low in serotonin you may benefit from 5-HTP. People who produce excessive amounts of histamine are also prone to depression. Adrenal exhaustion usually brought on by stress and overuse of stimulants can result in it. Allergies too can bring on depression. A nutrition consultant can help identify any factor that can be corrected by nutrition.
Diet advice: Cut out or avoid sugar and refined foods. Cut down on stimulants - tea, coffee, chocolate, cola drinks, cigarettes and alcohol. Follow a healthy diet, with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Experiment cutting out wheat and dairy for 2 weeks.
Supplements: multivitamin/multimineral, vitamin C 1000mg x 2, 5-HTP 100mg x 1 - 2 (at night), Omega-3 fish oils supplying 1200mg of EPA."
Other suggestions to consider: Take regular gentle exercise, consider counselling, identify potential food allergies and reduce the impact of stress by supporting adrenal function. Rhodiola and St John's Wort are two useful herbs for both adrenal support and depression. I would also suggest you make sure you have plenty of B vitamins, so something like Solgar's VM75 would do both the multi's and enough B vits too.
Helpful foods include oily fish, green leafy vegetables, wholefoods, nuts and seeds - especially ground flaxseed and walnuts); turkey, chicken, avocadoes and legumes are all sources of tryptophan which is the precursor to 5-HTP. A useful tip is to have a wholemeal turkey sandwhich just before bedtime.
SSRI antidepressants don't suit everyone, and MAOI's have many drawbacks, but sometimes for short periods they can both be helpful, but don't take the herbals with the ADs.
It is better to deal with the root cause than the symptoms and this is where nutrition can help considerably.
Hope you start to feel better soon
Caroline