Catharsis and Releasing Emotion Part 2

Stress can sneak up in several forms. Our identity might get triggered, we might be holding onto trauma from our past or it could be inherited trauma (studies have shown children related to holocaust survivors are more prone to stress).⁣ ⁣

In a stressful state our prefrontal cortex takes a back seat, it is this part of the brain that houses willpower, which means it’s harder to stop ourselves from the escape behavior (i.e. over eating) that we are using to mask our stress. It’s a viscous cycle, unless you deal with the stress directly.⁣ ⁣

So…how do we let go and release these pent up emotions? Shake, dance, exercise, do some cathartic breathing! Even if it’s just for 10 minutes a day. Observe how animals and children do this so freely – they shake, throw tantrums, cry in public. Let’s take after them. Buuuut, maybe in the privacy of our homes.