Coping with psychological pain
Pain that
does not stem from a physical contusion is difficult to recuperate. Psychological
trauma rooting from the loss of a loved one to being left heart broken or even failing
to clear a much anticipated exam after N tries; pain associated with these
tragedies can’t just be treated with some pills or simply overlooked. This year
alone our country has lost a lot of its citizen to Covid-19 and natural disaster,
leaving the loved ones with a void and pain that is hard to withstand. If you
keep avoiding or neglecting emotional pain it might eventually lead to high
stress or anxiety or may manifest as physical symptoms such as insomnia,
stomach disorder or even high blood pressure. So, how does one endure their anguish
and start to feel wholesome again.
Try
maintaining a Journal:
The need to
write a journal is to vent your emotion and channel your despair in a healthy way.
Don’t think it’s futile and if writing is not up your alley then just use
writing apps on devices that take dictations. You are the only one who knows
about the degree of emotional pain that embodies you, it is a way to self-express/heal.
Therefore don’t think too hard and long, just jot all your feelings and
emotions and let the healing begin.
Heal through
hobbies:
Pick up a
hobby be it sketching, knitting, painting, art, dancing, photography, music, poetry,
pottery any or all activities you enjoy. The purpose is same as that for
journaling to let go of your emotional pain. These recreations are fun,
distraction, much needed freedom and relief from our negative sentiments. Take baby
steps towards healing.
Look for a
healthy support system:
Your healing circle could include friend, families or even support groups. A social
and emotional outlet is paramount, speaking out about your tragedies to someone
is a crucial step towards healing. But let me warn you, don’t keep repeatedly ranting
about your trauma so much so, that it becomes an unhealthy contemplation that
you are unable to overcome. Utilize your pillar of support for a healthy
discussion to receive a wholesome solace.
Utilize
relaxation technique:
You may follow quite a few methods like, simple breathing, yoga/meditation and exercise.
The objective is to slow yourself down, to be focused in the moment and to be
calm so that your emotional wounds can close. A simple breathing exercise can give you a
sense of being composed and tranquility.
Whereas,
physical exercise is good for mind-body wellness. Simply, going for a walk or to
the gym can have a drastic impact on your dark emotions, movements allow these
heavy feelings to get unstuck and help to uplift the pent up traumatic spirits.
So, don’t negate the contributions of exercise and workout to evaporate your
emotional stress (however, don’t overdo it).
Avoid unhealthy
thinking:
Your misfortune
leads to a spiral of negative thoughts that become unavoidable as time
proceeds. However, you have to try and be aware when your thoughts go to the
dark side, give yourself a pep talk like ‘I’ll get through this’
or ‘I’m strong and can come out of this’ and so on. What you think will impact
the way you feel. So, identify and avoid negative thoughts as much as possible.
Keep moving
forward:
After a catastrophe
you may find it difficult to get out of the rut of despair and to
comprehend a future might seem a herculean task. However, its crucial to look
forward, this can be done through setting goals or plan activities with the
future in mind so that you can move forward at your own pace. Although, it might be a
challenge but you can sail through by keeping your thoughts positive as much as
possible.
If the pain
is too much to deal with alone even after you have tried, don’t shy away from
getting professional help. Self forgiveness is pivotal, so do forgive yourself otherwise it will just delay your healing. It will take time to overcome your trauma and set
your emotions back on track but you need to keep pushing forward and work on
self-care. And as they song goes ‘We shall overcome, someday’, so shall you.
