Take Control Of Your Emotions Before They Take Control Of You

What if I told you I thought my arm was broken. That I had fallen off my bike and caught the weight of my body on my arm. That I landed straight on it. That I could barely move my fingers. You would give it a kiss; you would tell me it will be okay. But an hour later the pain is only getting worse. You would take me to the emergency room, the doctor would take an Xray before telling me “it is in fact broken”. They would put a cast on my arm, tell me to take it easy, and come back in a few days for a checkup. My arm would heal.

Now what if I told you I was feeling down. That I felt overwhelmed with everything I had to do. That I felt behind in life, like everyone else had it figured out, but I didn’t. That I was lonely. That I was struggling to find my purpose. That I just felt sad. You would tell me everything will be okay. You would tell me to stop being so hard on myself. You would tell me to stop comparing myself to others. You would give me a hug. And I would feel better.

But what happens when these same feelings come back? I’ll come to you again. You’ll comfort me again. I’ll feel better again, until I don’t. Again.

Just like a broken arm, our minds sometimes require more than just a kiss. Sometimes we need a specialist. Someone that is clinically trained to help us work through the pain and teach us skills to help manage these emotions. Someone that provides a space to be supported, challenged, and empowered. Through understanding where our emotions come from and how to cope with them effectively, we can regain control of the feelings that often feel like they control us.

Sometimes we need to get out of our own heads in order to get better. We can talk to ourselves as much as we want, but unfortunately, we rarely tell ourselves what we actually need to hear. True healing and lasting results come from new perspectives, opinions, direction and most importantly, re-direction.

So why don’t we treat an aching mind with the same care we do a throbbing arm? Because of the stigma attached to therapy? Because it makes you think you’re weak if you can’t handle it on your own? Whatever that narrative is for you, it’s time to look at your mental health with the same care you do your physical health. You can’t push through life without treating a broken arm and the reality is true for your mental health as well. You cannot show up for yourself or the people in your life when there is a part of you that feels broken.

Therapy does not mean you are weak. Therapy does not mean there is something inherently wrong with you. Therapy allows you to properly treat wounds that continue to reopen from insufficient care. Therapy allows you to heal!