Exploding emotions can get people into trouble quickly. Physical and emotional outbursts are often the result of underlying stress and anxiety that has built up into rage that explodes. Without keeping it in check, it can quickly damage friendships, workplace relationships, and turn inward into mental health issues and substance abuse disorders. Dealing with addiction of a loved one can be difficult when explosions happen verbally or physically. Learn what it takes to get emotions in check, especially with addiction in the picture.
When it Strikes
It can feel hard to fight back against a person’s emotional or physical outbursts. Especially when, over time, it becomes the normative behavior for a person who is suffering from mental health or substance abuse disorder. Finally, perhaps, have a lot of screaming and yelling, the person storms away and leaves everything destroyed in a wake of terror. Some subtle clues that could have helped along the way to identify suppression of emotions include:
- Noticing whether a loved one has stopped participating in many things he or she used to enjoy.
- The person is experiencing strong emotional responses to other events like watching a movie or driving
- The loved one has trouble sleeping
Suffering in Silence
Having an addiction can change a person’s life, inside and out. After experiencing frustrating silence for years, perhaps the person finally breaks and explodes. It can happen at work, at home, or really anywhere because waiting to cope with emotional and spiritual turmoil for so long with addiction is essentially to suffer in silence. Oftentimes, a person may:
- Experience elevated stress levels
- Have higher anxiety about issues at work, home, or personal life than necessary
- Feel less committed or enthusiastic about life
- Seem constantly tired or worn out
- Have few close relationships
- Have struggles connecting on a personal level
Know the Signs
When someone is struggling with addiction, it is okay to give permission for their feelings to be known. We often try to focus on helping the loved one but fail to seek necessary help for their situation. It is not healthy to sit on emotions, particularly heavy ones that can be suppressed, leading to addiction or mental health issues. Don’t ignore these feelings if they come up within yourself or a loved one. It may be time to seek help from a mental health or substance abuse professional who understands how to help navigate this challenging time.
Serenity Oaks provides an intensive 5 week program to support your sobriety and recovery from addiction. We provide medical support, detox, and other help such as building life skills. Through individualized programs we help you move forward in recovery. Call us to find out how we can help you get started: 844-720-6847.
