The Information of Pain

Pain is information. It is information. Physical pain is more obvious and can usually be resolved with medical intervention. A sting, a burn, or a break will all send a message from specific nerves along the spinal cord to the brain.

But, what about emotional pain? When there is no blood, no bones, and no bruise, does the information still exist? Absolutely it does.

Emotional pain is the result of grief, loss, trauma, toxic relationships, or stress. It manifests as changes in sleep, disrupted eating, low or no energy, pulling away from people, and even physical discomfort such as headaches or stomachaches. Emotional pain can also come from feelings of regret or a hurtful insult from someone else. Sadness, guilt, shame, hatred, anger, anxiety, and fear all provide data that we can use in our healing.

So, what do you do with the information that this pain gives you?

Cry. Don't hold in the tears. Crying when you feel the need to releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids - endorphins. These are feel-good hormones that can provide a calming effect and soothe your pain. Holding in your sobs can cause your brain to trigger your adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol, which boost heart and blood pressure. Go ahead and give yourself permission to let it all out. Some people even schedule crying time, complete with sad playlists or movies they know will inspire the waterworks.

Body Movement is a tried and true way to process emotions. If you've never read anything about how trauma is stored in our human form, then I highly suggest this book. The hips are one of the most well-known and largest places we store emotional pain due to the location of the psoas and its link to the adrenal glands. Personally, as a gal with wide ones, I love to put on an upbeat playlist and dance around my apartment singing loudly. However, any body movement that you enjoy and can do comfortably is going to move the energy through your body and set it free.

A new hobby. Channeling your energy into creative outlets gives it somewhere to go and provides a great source of feminine energy. Finding local groups or classes that offer things like ceramics, painting, floral design, and other crafts also gives you the opportunity to meet new people to connect with, which brings me to the next suggestion.

Open up to others. Let them in. Easier said than done for some, I know. I also know that I used to be someone who suffered in silence. I kept it all to myself out of fear of being judged, fear of rejection, and the incorrect assumption that I needed to grin and bear it. What I found was once I opened up to a small number of friends, I received more support than I ever expected. I recently published a post about cultivating connections which you can read here.

Lastly, start journaling if you haven't, yet. It doesn't have to be structured, but I have plenty of prompts if you need them. Just start writing. After a few sentences, the rest will come. Your journal is only for you, so you don't need to worry about grammar, spelling, or punctuation. You don't ever have to share it if you don't want to. My experience has been that, if I simply begin writing about how I'm feeling, the answers and the truth show up. If you need notebooks, you can order them from me here or if you need something more economical then these are a great option.

In addition to these practices, acknowledging the things you're grateful for goes a long way in balancing your life. especially if you're dealing with issues that otherwise make you feel feelings of despair. I have a great free printable for practicing daily gratitude. Send me an email if you'd like it.

I hope these suggestions help you when it comes to processing your emotional pain. If you feel that you are suffering from deep despair, anxiety, or depression, please reach out to a professional therapist.