Ahh...Emotions

Emotions can be noticed, felt, and experienced differently based on your neurotype. Some of that affects processing and potentially causes a delay in emotional response, some may be in a felt sense of dysregulation and confusion about the emotions especially if sensory awareness and overwhelm is heightened, and other times individuals may just have overall difficulty with emotional identification and the ability to label the emotion and communication what is happening, especially if alexithymia is present. However, just because the experience is different, does not mean it isn’t happening.

Regardless of neurotype, emotion and what we are feeing can come with judgement, either from self or others, stigma in the way in which we interpret ourselves or others viewing our experience, or come with a side of shame and belief in wrongness about what is being felt. While it’s important not to let emotions run wild in your thoughts, it’s also important not to ignore them. A screaming toddler or upset adult never relaxed because you told them to ‘calm down’ and the same probably won’t work for your emotional experience either.

Be gentle with yourself, feel the feels in a titrated and non-overwhelming way, and seek support when the fear of that experience means you avoid it at all costs. Bottom line…emotions are messengers, they are meant to be acknowledged but that doesn’t mean that they are meant to control, take over, or be the dictator of your life or behaviors.