Managing Difficult Emotions

Why it matters

It is important to identify and address difficult emotions for our emotional well-being. Doing so allows us to:

• Understand and process our feelings.
• Prevent our feelings from intensifying or turning into bigger problems.
• Learn from challenging experiences and adapt to hard situations.
• Develop a healthier, more positive mindset, including coping skills and emotional strength.
• Build resilience, which is our ability to bounce back from setbacks and get through hard times more easily.

By acknowledging and addressing difficult emotions, we can pave the way for personal growth, improved relationships, and better overall health and well-being.

Addressing difficult but common emotions

We all deal with difficult emotions at one time or another. Here are six common difficult emotions—anxiety, anger, sadness, fear, loneliness, and grief—and how to help manage them. Each section includes a link to more detailed information on coping strategies.

1. Anxiety

What it is. Anxiety is an internal reaction to stress that can happen even if there is no specific situation or immediate threat. It may be described as excessive worry or fear that doesn’t go away.

How to manage it. Learning what causes or triggers your anxiety and what coping techniques work for you can help reduce your anxiety and improve your daily life.

• You can try things like deep breathing or relaxation exercises, writing in a journal, talking to a friend or loved one, or healthy eating and exercise.
• If you are having problems coping, or the symptoms of anxiety won’t go away, it may be time to seek professional help.
• For more on coping with anxiety or stress, see I'm so stressed out!

2. Anger

What it is. Anger is an intense emotional reaction we may have to something that upsets us, seems unfair, or is threatening. It can come out as verbal outbursts or aggressive behavior. Feelings of frustration, sadness, worry, or being overwhelmed can also come out as anger.

How to manage it. Learning healthy ways to express or resolve anger can help your sense of well-being and your relationships. You can learn anger management or assertive communication techniques that can help you cope with anger in healthy ways. These techniques can help you express your feelings or opinions in a clear, respectful, and constructive way.

3. Sadness

What it is. Being sad is a normal reaction to disappointing events or life changes. But prolonged feelings of sadness could be a sign of depression.

How to manage it. CDC offers tips to help deal with sadness and depression, including how to know if your sadness might be depression. Seeking support from loved ones or mental health professionals can help you work through sadness.

4. Fear

What it is. Fear is a normal reaction that can be triggered by events, people, circumstances, or memories. We may also experience it when we face unknown or uncertain situations.

How to manage it. Identifying and challenging your fears through cognitive-behavioral therapy can help you manage fear and promote emotional well-being.

5. Loneliness

What it is. Loneliness is feeling like you do not have meaningful or close relationships or a sense of belonging. It can negatively affect your emotional well-being and overall health.

How to manage it. Building social connections through group activities, such as joining clubs or groups with shared interests, or seeking support from friends and family members can help combat loneliness.

6. Grief

What it is. Grief is a natural response to loss, whether it's the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or any significant loss.

How to manage it. You can work through the healing process by allowing yourself time to grieve, seeking support from friends or family, or seeking grief counseling. For more information, see Coping with grief or Tools from American Psychological Association on dealing with grief.

Keep in mind

• Everyone's experiences are different. It's important to find strategies that work best for you.

• Coping with feelings that are upsetting or overwhelming takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself as you work through these feelings.

• If these emotions persistently interfere with your daily life, you should seek support from a mental health professional.