Healthy Emotions

Emotions The strong, immediate reactions that you feel in response to an experience. There are emotions in everything you do!

Emotions are Powerful Can make you sick Can affect sleep Can affect eating Can help you heal

The Five Major Emotions Strong affection or deep concern for another person

Anger: A strong feeling of displeasure

Fear: A scared feeling

Grief: A deep sorrow that is caused by the loss of someone or something that you cannot get back.

The Five Major Emotions A feeling of having done something wrong.

Defense Mechanisms An unconscious thought or behavior used to avoid experiencing unpleasant emotions. Coping strategies to make you feel better and allow one to get through a tough time. If the problem is ignored the more problematic it will become – therefore it can be dangerous to rely on defense mechanisms too often!

Refusal to accept reality

Rationalization Justifying behavior Justifying behavior

Repression Blocking out unpleasant thoughts

Displacement Having bad feelings toward someone not related to the cause of the problem

Projection Blaming someone else for your problem

Compensation Making up for 1 weakness in 1 area by achieving in another Making up for 1 weakness in 1 area by achieving in another

DayDreaming Imagining pleasant things that take your mind off unpleasant reality Imagining pleasant things that take your mind off unpleasant reality

Idealization Copying someone you think highly of because you don’t feel good about who you are Copying someone you think highly of because you don’t feel good about who you are

Regression Reacting to emotions in a child like or immature fashion Reacting to emotions in a child like or immature fashion

Sublimation Redirecting negative impulses into positive behavior Redirecting negative impulses into positive behavior