Burying emotions is detrimental to your health

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Do you have difficulty sharing your emotions? Well, you’re not alone. But keeping them to yourself can have serious consequences. 

Fear, sadness, and frustration, for example. They’re emotions we might not always be comfortable with, but we all experience them at times. And just because you keep them inside, doesn’t mean they go away. 

News 8 spoke with Kimble Richardson, licensed mental health counselor at Community Health Network, who says a number of things happen when we keep our feelings buried. 

“When we don’t deal with them–which means acknowledge them, allow them to manifest themselves in a healthy way–then we can end up with physical problems, depression, anxiety, and problems keeping or initiating a relationship,” Richardson said.

Richardson says people associate expressing emotions with being hurt. And that is true, he says. But, on the flip side, being vulnerable can help you get closer to the people you love. 

If you’re really struggling, Richardson recommends seeking professional help. Taking that first step and admitting to yourself you do need help, he says, is an act of bravery.