Getting "stuck" in an emotion?

[Deleted member 47099]

So, this is confusing me, so I don't think I can even describe it properly.

I often get "stuck" in an emotion.

Today, it was anger for several hours and sadness for several hours.

I don't think that whatever happened/ caused these emotions was "big" enough to warrant the emotions staying for hours.

It feels a bit like when a CD has a scratch and just keeps skipping over the same bit of the CD... like something gets stuck.

The normal "self-soothing" techniques don't seem to work. The emotion just goes on and on and on and on...

Does anyone else get this/ know what it is/ know what to do about it? Does it have a name? Is it PTSD related?

Thanks

 

[EveHarrington]

I think it may be related to PTSD struggles, but it’s not exclusive to PTSD.

To me it sounds a bit obsessive? Please stop me if I’m wrong. Obsessive thoughts used to be one of my worst symptoms but meds helped with that. It was like my mind was just STUCK! A dog with a bone, I couldn’t let go to save my life!

 

[Changing4Best]

I think you need a professional to diagnose it, if it continues on for a long time. I also think Eve has a valid point, I have experienced it too, especially with the sad one. I am Bipolar though, so it could have just been some of my Bipolar stuff kicking me in the teeth.

 

[Skywatcher]

After emdr and trauma processing, this happens to me. My T told me to have compassion for the feeling. It has a right to be there.

 

[frogthroat]

I have trouble with this all the time. At first my T maybe thought I was bipolar but I guess that's not the case.
She told me when you learn to think negatively from an early age or you experience an adverse event that traumatizes you it becomes engrained to the point of where it takes time to retrain your brain. This is especially hard if you've been brainwashed over a period of time.
I couldn't sleep after my first 3 EMDR sessions to the point of where she told me if I can't to sleep I'd have to see a doctor. For the first 4 months of therapy emotions were incredibly powerful and came out of nowhere. I felt like I was losing complete control of myself. So far, I've been taught to put emotions in a mental box or schedule a time for negative feelings. It's the 7th month of therapy for me and I'm just able to do that pretty much regularly now. It takes time and it takes practice. I still have to put my urges to cry in "the box" about 2 to 3 times a day but I can which is incredibly helpful.
Now I'm working on the freak outs I have where I drink too much. Emotions are super weird. You need them to survive but when they get stuck after the initial danger of a situation/situations they just end up kicking your ass up and down the street. It's changeable though which is the good part.

 

[Skywatcher]

I have trouble with this all the time. At first my T maybe thought I was bipolar but I guess that's not the case.
She told me when you learn to think negatively from an early age or you experience an adverse event that traumatizes you it becomes engrained to the point of where it takes time to retrain your brain. This is especially hard if you've been brainwashed over a period of time.
I couldn't sleep after my first 3 EMDR sessions to the point of where she told me if I can't to sleep I'd have to see a doctor. For the first 4 months of therapy emotions were incredibly powerful and came out of nowhere. I felt like I was losing complete control of myself. So far, I've been taught to put emotions in a mental box or schedule a time for negative feelings. It's the 7th month of therapy for me and I'm just able to do that pretty much regularly now. It takes time and it takes practice. I still have to put my urges to cry in "the box" about 2 to 3 times a day but I can which is incredibly helpful.
Now I'm working on the freak outs I have where I drink too much. Emotions are super weird. You need them to survive but when they get stuck after the initial danger of a situation/situations they just end up kicking your ass up and down the street. It's changeable though which is the good part.

I am just now learning about this box technique as well. She told me that I can send all of “the crap” to her office. It is still a struggle though. Emotions are so confusing. Especially, the goods one.

 

[frogthroat]

I am just now learning about this box technique as well. She told me that I can send all of “the crap” to her office. It is still a struggle though. Emotions are so confusing. Especially, the goods one.

Just give yourself time. I was so angry that the techniques didn't work right away like I thought they should so I stopped using them. It's not a good idea when everything starts to process. I ended up not being able to sleep, eat, and I started crying at work once which was awful. As long as you keep using them they will start to work. I notice though when I'm really distressed it's hard to get that under control enough to put in the box so now I try to catch myself when I realize I'm getting distressed before I get really angry or really sad. These are the two emotions I struggle the most with too.

 

[Deleted member 47099]

Thanks all for your thoughts :)

About to rush off for a day of work/ errands, so will reply later :hug:

 

[Justmehere]

Dysregulation can include going from 0 to 60, or having emotions stronger for a situation, or longer than fits a situation.

It could also be that by self soothing, you are allowing yourself to feel what you need to feel, even if it's about the past that may be stirred up by a present moment event. I often find self soothing can lead to emotions sticking around longer than I would like, but they do eventually pass.

When this happens for me, and I really want it to shift, sometimes it helps for me to engage in something very mindful and active, or some strong grounding skills. Ex: making cookies and really being in the present moment while making the cookies, focusing on the smell of each ingredient. Or playing a sport that requires ALL my attention, or chewing sour gum, holding ice, etc.

The key is not to avoid the emotion, as that may make it last longer. But to be able to contain it, and move through it.

 

[Abstract]

How accepting are you able to be with the feelings? I have found acknowledgement and Radical Acceptance 2 of the most helpful things for this for me. Fighting with emotions definitely keeps them there. Do you have judgement of those emotions? Looking at the legitimacy of all also helped hugely.

 

[Changing4Best]

I'm currently having flashbacks and can't sleep. It does not feel safe to sleep, because I am also experiencing physical sensations. So I feel stuck. I don't know if this relates to what you are writing about here, but I thought I would share what is going on for me, so that maybe someone might either say, yes, that has happened to me, or no, this is some other phenomena.

@RuffledFeathers love your avatar!

 

[grit]

I will speak generally Sophy
If you are angry or sad, these are normal feelings that every human on earth has it.

So if you can look around your life and find the source, that is great help.
If for some obvious reasons, you do not have anger or sad issues or events of recent development that may be lingering in your subconscious and coming up for water in your consciousness, then you must ask yourself, is this a global feeling (meaning related to your past, you are triggered and not acknowledging).

I find a normal reaction of anger and sadness are not culprits. We have them for a good reason. But usually when the reason is obvious, the anger or sadness are not heavy...they got acknowledged and move on.

The fact you are stuck and as Eve said like a dog on a bone, then it seems to me (and I could be wrong) that you are not tapping on the source or you are not attaching to your past...you are in denial of something and your body is attacking you in response.

It may be worth to dissect with a therapist who can get to the bottom of things or just take you out of the loop.

I hate this loop.