Jennifer Bedoy, a licensed professional counselor based in Chicago, discusses developing healthy coping mechanisms for managing intense emotions.
When overwhelmed with anxiety, anger, or sadness, many adults struggle to self-soothe. According to Bedoy, some people turn to unhealthy habits like substance abuse and overeating when they can't regulate their emotions.
Self-soothing is the ability to calm yourself down when you’re stressed or upset or anxious. It helps us manage our emotions in a healthy way without relying on others, unhealthy habits or shutting down.
Author's summary: Learn to manage big emotions with self-soothing techniques.