Anger, sadness, jealousy and hatred are termed ‘negative emotions’ because they make you lose confidence and feel miserable about yourself and others. There are some simple strategies to deal with negative emotions.

Emotions are complex reactions

Emotions are psychological (what we think) and biological (what we feel). Our brain responds to our thoughts by releasing hormones and chemicals which send us into a state of arousal. All emotions come about in this way, whether positive or negative.

It is a complex process and often we don’t have the skills to deal with negative feelings. That’s why we find it hard to cope when we experience them.


How to deal with negative emotions

There are a number of coping strategies to deal with negative emotions. These include:

Don’t blow things out of proportion by going over them time and again in your mind.

Try to be reasonable – accept that bad feelings are occasionally unavoidable and think of ways to make yourself feel better.

Relax – use pleasant activities like reading, walking or talking to a friend.

Learn – notice how grief, loss and anger make you feel and which events trigger those feelings so you can prepare in advance.

Exercise – aerobic activity lowers your level of stress chemicals and allows you to cope better with negative emotions.

Let go of the past – constantly going over negative events robs you of the present and makes you feel bad.

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Negative emotions – coping tips – Better Health Channel