Release the Toxins!

I would like to talk about how negative emotions can weigh us down. That is a figure of speech, but we actually do feel emotions in our bodies. For example, how many of you feel that tightness in your chest or pains in your stomach when you are feeling anxious? How many of you feel your internal temperature actually rise when you get angry? How about when you are so scared, you actually feel the blood drain from your face? The mind and the body are intertwined and always affect each other.

Taking this a bit further, unexpressed emotion can actually cause harm to our bodies. When we suppress or hold in our emotions, it does not really stay contained. I liken it to pollutants that are buried underground and the poisons are seeping into the water supply. Suppressed emotions work the same way in our minds and bodies. Suppressed emotions always find their way out somehow and they can manifest in very serious ways. In previous blog articles, I have written about how men have a more difficult time expressing their emotions than women do. Do you still wonder why high blood pressure occurs more in men than women? Do you wonder why men die at younger ages than women? Lifestyle choices affect these outcomes of course, but I truly believe that the inability to express emotion causes medical problems, such as irritable bowel, high blood pressure, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, heart palpitations, and so on.

I know someone who has been walking around with anger and unforgiveness for years. I will not disclose details, but years of unresolved issues that have accumulated cause this person to remain in a state of bitterness. Not so coincidentally, she has myriad health issues, in spite of the fact that she does not drink alcohol or smoke. She has irritable bowel, pain issues, fatigue, and recently developed reflux disease. I am sure genetics play some role in her problems, but her unresolved anger is absolutely exacerbating her symptoms.

When we deal with the unpleasant emotions, we suddenly feel lighter and, of course, happier. It is like releasing a huge weight off of our minds and bodies when we appropriately process and deal with something that has plagued us emotionally. I will share a story from one of my clients. Her boyfriend left his ex-wife because their marriage had too many issues to fix. He has 2 children and he has been carrying enormous guilt ever since. He felt that he abandoned his kids. He and his son have a very close relationship, but his relationship with his teenaged daughter, to him, seemed strained. He had convinced himself it was because she was angry at him for leaving, yet he never dealt with it. He has been suffering with tremendous anxiety as a result. Finally, he decided to have a heart to heart talk with her, because he wanted a better relationship with her. He apologized for leaving and told her that he did not leave her, just the marriage, and that he loves her very much and will always be there for her. Her response was, “Dad, I forgave you a long time ago. In fact, I see now that you and mom getting divorced was a good thing for both of you. We’re good!” My client said when he came home, he told her that he feels as if a huge burden has been lifted and she reports that he seems much happier now. That was a lot of wasted years for him. It is a good thing he finally decided to deal with the problem so it did not poison him from the inside.

If this resonates with you, I challenge you to stop poisoning yourself from the inside. Deal with the buried emotional pollutants so you can live a light-hearted and joyous, not to mention healthier, life. It says in Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but a kind word cheers him up.” Do not suppress your feelings. Deal with any bitterness right away, before it grows and festers. Be kind. Think positively. Have a grateful attitude. Do not carry weight on your shoulders by harboring negativity. Deal with it and then let it go. Your mind and body will thank you! God bless!