Emotional wounds are as common as physical wounds. In fact as we grow up, the number of emotional wounds become more than physical pains. We have first-aid kit ready to take care of our physical wounds, but when it comes to emotional ones we have no safeguards, no first aid kits.
However, experts believe that there is mental first aid for emotional setbacks. Practicing psychologist Guy Winch, Ph.D.’s book Emotional First Aid brings seven useful ways to reboot emotional health. He also mentions that emotional first aid can be applied to one’s own self as well as to our friends or dear ones who have had an emotional setback. Here are the same in brief: Happyho also provide best Meditation classes in Noida and Delhi NCR India area.
- Pay attention to emotional pain — recognize it when it happens and work to treat it before it feels all-encompassing.
- Redirect your gut reaction when you fail. To stop negative emotional spiral, learn to ignore the post-failure “gut” reaction of feeling helpless and demoralized, and make a list of factors that you can control were you to try again.
- Monitor and protect your self-esteem. When you feel like putting yourself down, take a moment to be compassionate to yourself.
One way to heal damaged self-esteem is to practice self-compassion. - When negative thoughts are taking over, disrupt them with positive distraction. The best way to disrupt unhealthy rumination is to distract yourself by engaging in a task that requires concentration (for example complete a crossword, try to recall your childhood friend’s names).
- Find meaning in loss. Consider how you might gain or help others gain a new appreciation for life, or imagine the changes you could make that will help you live a life more aligned with your values and purpose.
- Don’t let excessive guilt linger. Guilt can be useful in small doses. But excessive guilt is toxic and wastes your emotional and intellectual energies. If you apologise, the other person is more likely to forgive and help your guilt dissolve.
- Learn what treatments for emotional wounds work for you.
Pay attention to yourself and learn how you, personally, deal with common emotional wounds. Use this analysis to help yourself understand which emotional first aid treatments works best for you in various situations.
Here is an impactful talk by Guy Winch
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