The Cost of Suppressing Emotions: How Unexpressed Feelings Manifest in the Body
- juliakboehmschmidt
- Oct 19, 2024
- 4 min read
In our fast-paced, often stressful world, many of us are taught to suppress our emotions.
We hear phrases like "be strong," "don't cry," or "just get over it." But what happens when we internalize those emotions instead of expressing them?
What impact does that have on our mental, emotional, and physical health?
The truth is, the body and mind are one, deeply interconnected. While Western medicine often treats the body and mind as separate entities—focusing solely on symptoms—holistic approaches like ours recognize the profound relationship between the two.
Suppressing emotions can lead to a variety of chronic illnesses, and understanding this connection is essential for true healing.
The Body as an Emotional Map
Each emotion we experience is tied to a particular part of the body, often manifesting in specific organs. When we repress our feelings instead of processing them, they don’t just disappear—they become stored within the body, often leading to physical ailments over time.
Here are some examples:
The Lungs and Grief: In traditional Chinese medicine, the lungs are associated with grief. When someone experiences profound loss but doesn’t allow themselves to fully mourn or express their sadness, they may develop respiratory issues like chronic bronchitis, asthma, or other lung conditions.
The Kidneys and Fear: Fear and anxiety are said to be stored in the kidneys. Those who frequently suppress their fear or live in a state of prolonged anxiety may experience kidney issues, including fatigue or even adrenal fatigue.
The Liver and Anger: The liver is linked to anger and frustration. When anger is suppressed or unexpressed, it can lead to tension in the body, irritability, headaches, or even liver dysfunction.
This mind-body connection is at the core of holistic healing. By addressing emotional blockages, we can begin to heal the physical manifestations of those unprocessed feelings.
Gabor Maté and Emotional Suppression
One of the leading voices in understanding the mind-body connection is Dr. Gabor Maté, who has explored the link between repressed emotions and chronic illness. He has found that many chronic conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, are linked to emotional suppression. In fact, Maté asserts that just from studying a patient’s personality traits, we can often predict their illness.
For example, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are often incredibly nice, accommodating people.
They suppress their anger and tend to be people-pleasers, avoiding conflict at all costs.
Over time, this emotional repression can contribute to the development of chronic illnesses, as the body eventually rebels against the constant suppression of feelings.
Another example is cancer patients, who may have a tendency to put others' needs above their own, neglecting their emotional well-being. This self-sacrifice often comes from a place of unexpressed emotional pain, which can weaken the immune system and contribute to illness.
The message here is clear: if you don’t say “no,” your body will.
In other words, if you don’t set boundaries, express your emotions, or allow yourself to feel, your body will eventually manifest those unprocessed emotions in the form of physical symptoms or illness.
The Consequences of Emotional Suppression
When we suppress our emotions, especially over long periods, we set ourselves up for a range of issues:
Chronic Stress: Repressing emotions can keep the body in a constant state of stress, leading to an overactive sympathetic nervous system (the "fight or flight" mode). This can wear down your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness.
Chronic Pain: Suppressed emotions can also manifest as chronic pain, especially in areas like the neck, back, or shoulders. The tension from unexpressed anger or grief often finds its way into the muscles, causing discomfort or pain that doesn’t go away with traditional treatments.
Autoimmune Diseases: Emotional repression is also linked to autoimmune conditions, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. Maté’s research suggests that many autoimmune patients are driven, perfectionistic, and unable to express their own needs or anger.
Mental Health Issues: Emotional suppression can lead to mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, or emotional numbness. When we don’t process our emotions, we may feel disconnected from ourselves and others, leading to a sense of isolation.
How to Heal
Healing requires us to break the cycle of emotional suppression. Here are some ways to start:
Acknowledge Your Emotions: Begin by simply recognizing what you’re feeling. Whether it’s anger, sadness, or fear, allow yourself to name the emotion and sit with it. Emotions aren’t inherently bad—they’re messages from your body.
Express Yourself: Whether through journaling, talking to a trusted friend, or working with a therapist, find ways to express what you’re feeling. Sometimes, simply speaking your truth can bring relief.
Set Boundaries: Learning to say “no” when you need to is crucial for emotional health. You don’t have to please everyone at the expense of your own well-being.
Practice Mind-Body Techniques: Practices like yoga, meditation, or breathwork can help you release stored emotions and reconnect with your body. These techniques allow you to tune into your emotional state, helping you process and release pent-up feelings.
Embracing Holistic Healing
At Sacred Emotions, we believe that true healing requires addressing both the body and the mind. Emotions are not just inconveniences to be ignored or hidden—
they are an essential part of who we are.
By understanding how our emotions affect our physical health, we can begin to heal on a deeper level.
Remember, your emotions are not the enemy.
Anger, sadness, grief, and fear all have a place in your healing journey. By learning to acknowledge and express them, we can prevent these emotions from turning into physical ailments.
And as Gabor Maté teaches us, embracing our emotional truth is the first step toward real health and happiness.
For more resources and guidance on emotional healing, visit our website or join one of our upcoming workshops at Sacred Emotions, where we dive deep into the process of healing the whole self—
mind, body, and soul.
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