Talk to someone, otherwise your emotions will control you.

Introduction

Many of us experience so many negative emotions such as anger, sadness, and confusion. Some of us even feel like we are losing our minds as you don’t feel normal. In honour of Mental Health Awareness Month, I encourage you to talk to someone about your emotions. When you keep your emotions to yourself, eventually your emotions will control you.

As a man, we like to keep things to ourselves as we are programmed by society to act like a man and to act like a man, it means you must not show your real emotions. Perhaps, this is why men are committing suicide more than women.

However, if you speak to someone, you can control your emotions and feel better about yourself and in so doing you can improve your state of mind.

Do not keep negative emotions to yourself.

I am not a licensed social worker, but I have a lot of experience in keeping negative emotions to myself. Therefore, I can talk about my personal experiences and other people that I know who have gone through similar situations.

For more than 40 years, I kept negative emotions to myself and while I did not act out on these emotions, I was very unhappy and was not the person that God created me to be.  Everybody does not react the same. Some people act out on their emotions and may cause them to become addicted to drinking, it may cause them to be abusive, it may cause them to lose their minds, it may cause them to be very unhappy, it may cause them to have suicidal thoughts, it may cause them to commit murders. It may also cause you to be a hypocrite, you may be living a different life publicly than what you are living publicly. It also causes you to live a life full of anger.

If you do not control these emotions, the emotions will control you and you may end experiencing severe mental disorders. However, you can deal with these emotions by talking to someone.

Talk to someone.

I know there is a lot of concern about trust, confidentiality and what people will think about you if they know that you are experiencing some negative emotions. At some point in your life, you need to trust somebody.  You can speak to your pastor or someone like your partner who you trust. You should also seriously consider speaking to a license social worker. The Government has a Ministry of Mental health with qualified individuals. Some private clinics such as the Grace Bay Wellness Center also have therapists that you can talk to.

Talking to someone can make you feel so much better. All you must do is try. These centers are equipped with professionals who have years of experience in dealing with individuals that have mental issues. Don’t you go to an accounting firm like my company HLB when you need reviewed or audited financial statements? Don’t you go to a medical doctor when you are not feeling well? Don’t you go to a mechanic to fix your car? Well, if you are having emotional issues, shouldn’t you go and see a therapist?

Conclusion

I know society has placed a stigma on mental illness, however, if you want to enjoy your life on this earth, stop keeping your emotions to yourself and speak to someone. Don’t feel bad about the way you are feeling as many other people are going through the same thing but they are keeping it to themselves and so you don’t know.

It is time for us to break that cycle so that our children and grandchildren do not experience the same thing. Based on my personal experience, I know it is possible to overcome negative emotions.

We are full of too many fears in our lives due to these negative emotions. However, I want to conclude by reminding you that “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)