Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 5: Be in charge of your environment
• Part 2 of 5: Paying attention to your emotions
• Part 3 of 5: Calming yourself physically
• Part 4 of 5: Dealing with anxiety
• Part 5 of 5: When should I try this?
• Tips
• Warnings

Life can bring about intense and turbulent emotions: sadness, anger, jealousy, despair or emotional pain. It is not always possible (or even a good idea) to suppress these emotions, as they can help overcome your problems and improve your life. However, sometimes powerful emotions can make it difficult for you to keep functioning and you will have to temporarily numb yourself to get through the day. To numb yourself emotionally during such circumstances, you will have to try to stay in control of your environment, pay attention to your emotions, calm yourself physically, and deal with fear when it arises.

To step

Part 1 of 5: Be in charge of your environment

1. Know that numbing your emotions will come at a price. Research shows that suppressing negative feelings can deplete your psychological energy stores, making it more difficult to deal with stress and make the right decisions. This means that numbing yourself against emotional pain can often affect your resilience and even the ability to remember things. Only numb yourself when you really need to get through the day.
   • An effective alternative to numbing yourself is to endure the emotional pain by putting it in a different light and focusing more on positive emotions. For example, you may want to numb yourself to forget an embarrassing moment at work. However, it may also be possible to view the incident as not so embarrassing and see the humor in it. This is commonly referred to as "cognitive reappraisal," and may have a similar desirable effect, although it is not the same as emotionally numbing yourself.
   • Be aware that feelings of total or prolonged sedation may indicate mental problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder or clinical depression. If you experience a constant feeling of being lost, numbness and despair, see a doctor or psychologist as soon as possible.
2. Avoid people, environments, and events that you don't like.. The easiest way to numb your emotional reactions is to be in control of your environment. First of all, make sure that you are not incited to extreme reactions. If you know that some people, places, and activities bring out the worst in you, try to avoid them if possible.
3. Be in control of situations you don't like. Sometimes you have to be around people you don't like or do tasks you hate. If you can't avoid the things that cause emotional pain, look for ways to manage them. Don't consider yourself a helpless victim: find as much support as possible in the situation. By simply reminding yourself that you always have a choice, you can get through these emotional times relatively unscathed. For instance:
   • If you are stressed because you had to study the night before an exam, try to study two nights before. This can make the night before the exam calmer.
   • If you hate going to parties because there are too many people, ask one or two close friends to join you. Go to them when you want to get out of the crowd and have a more private conversation.
4. Distract yourself. When your emotions get in your way, immediately stop what you are doing and do something else. Try an activity that requires all of your mental and emotional attention. By distracting yourself, you will be able to process your emotions later, when you are likely to be calm and reasonable. Don't worry about processing your emotions right now: simply change your mood by switching activities. Some good activities for this include:
   • Play a computer game
   • Watch a movie
   • Practicing your favorite hobby
   • Attend a concert or humorous performance
   • sports
5. Allow yourself breaks with regard to technology. Technology can lead to heightened emotions: staying online exposes yourself to more stress at work, in life, and to a sense of helplessness. You can instantly make yourself calmer and happier by turning off social media. Take control of your emotional life by limiting the time you spend on the internet. To limit your internet use, you can:
   • View email only at work - never at home
   • Switch off your phone in the evening
   • Turn off social media notifications
   • Delete your profiles on social media
   • Do not use the internet during the weekends
6. Act neutrally, even if you don't feel that way. It is possible to change your emotional state by changing your facial expression. In other words, by pretending to feel like this or that way, this feeling can really start to emerge. If you want to be emotionally numb, pretend you're emotionally numb. This can be difficult during times of stress, but with a little practice it will quickly start to feel natural. Stay neutral by:
   • Maintain a cool, dry facial expression
   • Keep your lips neutral, so neither a smile nor a frown
   • Speak silently and in a low tone
   • Stay concise and keep your sentences short and focused
   • Maintain eye contact with a calm, empty look

Part 2 of 5: Paying attention to your emotions

1. Tell yourself that negative emotions are only in your head. Convince yourself that emotions are not objective facts: you are never forced to feel emotional pain. Remind yourself that emotional pain comes from your own mind. This means that you can transcend many negative emotions such as fear, anxiety and anger. When a negative emotion is about to emerge, dispel it with the mantra, "This is just my mind." This is an essential part of mindfulness.
2. Practice situations that could cause emotional pain in the future. In addition to protecting yourself from the emotional pain of the present, you can also use mindfulness techniques to prepare yourself for emotional pain in the future. Think about events that could cause you stress in the near future, such as an important exam, a possible fight with your friend, or a difficult task at work. Imagine a calm, unemotional response to these future events and practice overcoming these negative emotions. Soon you will be able to cut yourself off from these strong emotions and you will be better able to deal with yourself calmly.
3. Pay attention to your emotional state. Do some periodic "mental checks" every day to determine what your emotional well-being is like at that particular time. Even when you are not feeling sad or anxious, being aware of how you feel and why it is will help you better understand your instinctual emotional responses to everyday life. Ultimately, mindfulness will allow you to control your emotional responses more effectively. When performing a "mental check", ask yourself the following questions:
   • What am I feeling right now? Am I experiencing a single predominant emotion or is it a combination of emotions? By simply putting a label on your emotions, you can view them in a more objective way.
   • Why do I feel this way? Are my emotions influenced by internal factors (such as my own fears) or by external factors (such as when someone yells at me)?
   • Do I like the way I feel now? You may experience happiness or gratitude for your life and want to nurture these emotions. But you may feel anxious or nervous and don't want to experience these emotions in the future.
   • What can I do to control my feelings in the future? Ask yourself if you can encourage your positive emotions while turning away and rejecting the negative ones. How can you structure your life so that you can control your emotions - so that the emotions don't control you?
4. Don't be mad at yourself for expressing your emotions. Sometimes your emotional armor can burst and out of your emotions that you would rather not have expressed. Maybe you cried at work or couldn't hide your anxiety at school. Tell yourself this happens to everyone and try to learn from the experience. Some ways to forgive yourself include:
   • Focus on the future and not the present. Ask yourself if the current failure can teach you any lessons about how you will respond in the future. Pat yourself on the back if you learned from a difficult situation.
   • Tell yourself that resilience only comes through failure. You cannot be emotionally strong immediately: you will have to practice it slowly. View this as one step of the journey to learn to control your emotions.
   • Put things in perspective. Remember that you are the person who cares most about your emotional state. Your colleagues, fellow students, friends and family members will soon forget that you had a small outburst. Keep in mind that this isn't the end of the world - it's just a minor downer in your life.
5. Wait a while before responding. If something happens that upsets you, try to stay calm for a few minutes. Take a deep breath in and out and count to ten. Once you get past the initial emotional response, you will be able to respond to the situation calmly and rationally, rather than purely emotional.
6. Keep a diary. A great way to keep your emotions from controlling your life is to throw them out… on paper. Dispel your emotions by writing them down in your journal. This will allow you to forget about your emotional state and move on with your life. Research shows that people who write down their mood swings in a journal feel they have more control over their emotions. Make a commitment to write in your journal at specific times or when you feel that you are in danger of becoming emotional.
   • Pay particular attention to whether or not you think your emotional response is one that a mentally healthy person would have or if it is a little over the top.
   • Make sure to ask yourself if you have felt the same in the past. This will help you discover a pattern in your emotional state.
   • If something happens that upsets you, tell yourself you will write about it later in your journal. This will prevent you from reacting emotionally in the moment.

Part 3 of 5: Calming yourself physically

1. Take a deep breath in and out. Deep breathing exercises will help you maintain a calm posture. They are also great ways to deal with your emotions when they bubble up. Inhale for five seconds through your nose, hold for five seconds, then exhale through your mouth for five seconds. Repeat as needed until you regain control.
2. Engage in intense aerobic activities for 30 minutes. Exercise can help take your mind off painful emotions and make you a calmer and more rational person. Discover your favorite sport, exercise or physical activity. When you feel emotions bubbling up, put on your sneakers and get your heart pumping. Soon you will have forgotten the emotional response. Some ideal physical outlets are:
   • Walk or jog
   • Bicycles
   • Swimming
   • Team sports such as softball or football
   • Martial arts
   • Kickboxing
   • To dance
3. Avoid drug use. It can be tempting to use drugs to numb your emotions. However, many drugs and alcohol also weaken your inhibitions, making your emotional reactions even more intense. Even caffeine can trigger a stress response. Keep yourself calm and emotionally neutral by avoiding drugs, alcohol, and caffeine.
   • An important exception to this is when you have to take psychiatric medication for a mental disorder. In that case, you should always follow the doctor's guidelines.
4. Get a good night's sleep. Insomnia can make it difficult to deal with your emotions calmly and neutrally. Make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. If you have trouble falling asleep, make sure you:
   • Bedroom is cool and well ventilated
   • Have a comfortable mattress
   • Have something to muffle environmental noise
   • Avoid caffeine, alcohol and heavy meals, especially at night

Part 4 of 5: Dealing with anxiety

1. Maintain a social network. Sometimes feeling restless or depressed can make you want to isolate yourself. However, social ties are one of the keys to maintaining a healthy emotional balance. Talk to friends and family members when you feel like everything is getting too much for you and let them help you process your emotions. While it doesn't necessarily numb you emotionally, it can help you recover more quickly.
2. Take positive action. Sometimes a situation that you cannot control makes you anxious. Instead of worrying about it, try to take action to improve the situation. Resist the urge to detach: that will simply keep you stressed for longer and more.
   • For example, if you are stressed about a future exam, don't try to forget this. Instead, tell yourself that you will study for 20 minutes every day: that will help overcome your fear.
3. Tell yourself that stress is only temporary. It's important to keep in mind that stressful events will soon be over: they don't last forever. Whether it's a party you don't want to go to, or an exam you don't want to take, or a work project you hate; tell yourself that the stressful situation will pass. Don't get the feeling that your whole life consists of a long moment of stress.
4. Take a break. Sometimes you are more able to cope with stress after giving yourself a little time to recover. If you start to feel completely overwhelmed, spend 20-30 minutes walking, talking to a friend, or listening to your favorite album. Return to the stressful situation when you feel calmer and able to cope with it.
   • You will be particularly relaxed when you engage in an activity that is social (such as having tea or coffee with friends) or taking place outdoors (such as going for a walk around a lake). These can be much more effective than watching television until you are calmed down and recharged.

Part 5 of 5: When should I try this?

1. When facing a challenge, try to suppress your emotions. Reinforced emotions can sometimes make you unable to cope with a stressful situation. For example, when you have to give an important presentation speech, fear can prevent you from thinking normally, so you have to postpone it. Knowing how to suppress this feeling of fear can be useful when you have to overcome challenges at school or at work.
2. Temporarily put your emotions aside when you need to make a decision. Emotions play a well-defined role in decision-making, but sometimes it is important to be able to put them aside and consider other factors. For example, you may feel broken by a relationship that has ended, or you may be considering moving to another city so you don't have to see your ex again. If you can see past the grief and weigh other factors, you may be less likely to drop everything and walk away.
3. When you find yourself in a situation that you cannot control, numb your emotions. Anesthetizing your emotions can be a useful defense mechanism. Maybe there is a bully at school or there is a sibling you don't get along with. If a situation is difficult to change, you can protect yourself by turning off your feelings so that you can get through the day.
4. Avoid disconnecting yourself from your emotions frequently. There is a reason why we experience emotions. They are essential to function in the world and ultimately survive with our mental health intact. If you routinely numb your emotions, you deny yourself experiences that your mind has to undergo. Fear, sadness, despair, and other emotions that feel bad are just as important as pleasure and excitement. If you don't allow yourself to feel bad, it will become increasingly difficult to feel happy. Rather than numbing your emotions, learn to connect with them and use them to take advantage of them.

Tips

• Sometimes your social network can help you process your emotions calmly. At other times, your emotional state can be enhanced by being with people. Do what you think is best for you and take care of yourself at all times.
• Avoiding your feelings can sometimes lead to even more emotional distress. Look for healthy ways to process your emotions - if not now, do it later.
• Try to focus on calmness and neutrality instead of opting for full sedation. Look for ways to respond calmly to difficult situations without shutting down your emotions completely.

Warnings

• Emotional numbness can sometimes signal more serious mental disorders. If you are no longer able to feel happy, amazed, and satisfied, see a doctor immediately to discuss possible treatments.