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Culture & Society
Silence about feelings is a common phenomenon many face, but it carries deep psychological and physical complexities. Dr. Anastasia Kardiacos, a family psychologist, explains the real reasons behind this hesitation, warning of the consequences that may result from suppressing what we feel.
Silence about feelings is a common phenomenon many face, but it carries deep psychological and physical complexities. In this context, Dr. Anastasia Kardiacos, a family psychologist, explains the real reasons behind this hesitation, warning of the consequences that may result from suppressing what we feel.
Dr. Kardiacos confirms that refusing to express emotions is often linked to a set of deep-rooted psychological fears, the most prominent of which are:
Fear of losing control: Many fear "drowning" in their emotions once they start describing them, believing that expressing them will make them lose their balance. However, from a physiological psychology perspective, the opposite is true; as talking about emotions reduces their intensity, while suppression increases their burden.
Fear of appearing weak: Some fear being labeled "weak" or "troublemakers" if they express their discomfort, which leads them to suppress perfectly natural feelings to avoid criticism.
Childhood residues and feelings of shame: For some, the reason dates back to an early upbringing that linked expressing emotions with feelings of shame, creating a belief in adulthood that true emotions make a person "socially unacceptable".
The psychological expert warns that stopping "venting" emotions leads to the accumulation of stress, which manifests in multiple forms:
Psychological symptoms: Increased levels of anxiety, apathy, and constant irritability.
Physical symptoms (Psychosomatic illnesses): Muscle spasms, chronic headaches, and digestive problems that have no clear medical explanation.
Deterioration of relationships: Emotional silence leads to difficulty discussing issues with a partner, which generates feelings of resentment and emotional coldness, undermining the foundations of the relationship.
According to Dr. Kardiacos, learning to express emotions is a "skill" that requires following deliberate steps:
Observation and Awareness: Start by observing what you feel in the current moment without judgment.
Naming: Try to give a specific name to what you feel (e.g., frustration, anxiety, jealousy, or sadness).
Expression: After understanding and naming, it becomes easy to convey these feelings to others clearly and calmly.
Expressing emotions is not a sign of weakness, but an essential necessity to maintain psychological and physical balance. Silence may seem like a temporary solution, but it is a "ticking time bomb" that affects the quality of your life and your relationships with others.
