Each and every one of us suppresses our emotions to a certain extent. It has become socially acceptable to walk around with a bitch face because this way you are not labeled a ‘crybaby’ or someone hysterical. This mostly happens when it comes to men because from very early childhood they have been taught to ‘man up’ and never show their true emotions. Emotions like anger and happiness are completely acceptable but quando se trata de tristeza, their little heart shuts down and they don’t even bother to think about what is causing this.

Are you one of those people who suppresses your emotions? If you’re not sure then read carefully and do some self-analyzing to see if you truly are, because if this is true for you then suppressing your emotions can actually become something very dangerous for your mental and physical health.

1. Falta de sono

Those nights are the worst, when you’re just lying there in bed, looking at the ceiling or moving around nervously because your brain is on fire and it won’t let you sleep. There is nothing worse than a lack of sleep. It’s dangerous because this is crippling for all your relationships, for your work and also for your mental and physical health. Sleep is crucial for our immune system.

2. Más relações

Of course, suppressing your emotions and trying to hide them from your friends and partner is something that will ruin those relationships. You can’t keep on arguing or being passivo-agressivo just because you do not know how to handle your emotions correctly. Instead of hiding away those tears, instead of hiding the fact that you have been hurt to the bone, you are stuck in relationships with people who are taking advantage of you, who aren’t genuine and it’s all because of the fact that you are not being honest about how you feel and that is extremely dangerous.

3. Tensão arterial elevada

Um estudo realizado na Universidade de Stanford mostrou que reprimir as suas emoções pode, de facto, levar a problemas cardiovasculares, o que conduz a uma pressão arterial elevada. É claro que isto não tem de acontecer a todas as pessoas que reprimem as suas emoções, mas pode estar em risco elevado.

4. Depressão

Esconder as emoções das pessoas que nos rodeiam tem normalmente origem num problema interior mais profundo. Na maioria dos casos, uma pessoa que está a reprimir as suas emoções pensa que não é digna de as sentir. Pode ter sido ensinada desde muito jovem que a raiva, a tristeza ou a felicidade excessiva são algo mau e que deve manter-se afastada dessas emoções. Por este motivo, as pessoas desenvolvem normalmente uma depressão de alto funcionamento, que é muito perigosa para a mente e para o corpo.

5. Procura a fuga

Taking into consideration the fact that your emotions are still there, no matter whether you show them or not, you might get into the habit of escaping reality at any moment. You do this by escaping into your head, into your room, into your books, or simply not talking to the people around you at all (it looks like you’re not even able to hear them). By escaping reality, you end up never facing the world around you.

6. Problemas digestivos

Because of the stress that you’re going through, you will end up getting digestive problems that are most probably leading to excessive weight gain. Many people jump to ‘binge eating’ to ‘fill the hole’ inside them. Most of them are not even aware of the reason why they are doing so. They turn to food as their only salvation.

7. Virar-se para as dependências

The most dangerous of all of the symptoms of suppressed emotions is addictions. Addictions give that moment of satisfaction where you feel whole. You feel whole while you’re taking your addictions in. This includes alcohol and drugs, of course, which do not bring anything good to your body. I have a friend who just tried some drugs one night and the next morning she came up to me, telling me that that was the only happiness she ever felt in her life and that she wanted to always be happy and that was the moment when she turned into a drug addict. Just like that. Overnight. So don’t take your addictions lightly, go find help because things like these truly are dangerous.