Module 1 | Introduction to Emotion Regulation

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Module Video:

So… What are Emotions?

Scroll down for a transcript of this video.

SO… WHAT ARE EMOTIONS?

We all experience emotions as a part of our normal everyday lives. Sometimes they are positive, such as when we feel happy or excited, and sometimes they are negative, such as when we feel angry, anxious or overwhelmed. Emotions are subjective internal states which we often experience through a variety of bodily sensations or symptoms. We can think of our emotions as a collection of in-built responses to a given situation (or “stimulus” in psych terms).

From an evolutionary standpoint, emotions do have a functional or helpful purpose. They can help by motivating us to adapt to our surrounding environment and respond in certain helpful ways. For instance, warm fuzzy feelings of love may help to support a parent’s bond with their newborn baby. Feelings of fear or anxiety are intended to help us by warning that there may be danger or threat in our environment, which in turn prepares us to either fight or run away.

At other times however, the emotions we experience can be somewhat unhelpful. Sometimes we may feel anxious when there’s nothing really to be worried about. Sometimes we might find ourselves quick-tempered and reactive which may lead us to say or do things we regret later on. Or sometimes we may feel awkwardly jubilant during a sombre occasion, such as a funeral.

It is important to note that emotions are normal. This includes both the ones that feel good, and the ones that do not. Anger, sadness, fear… they are all normal to experience sometimes. The aim of these modules isn’t to simply make you feel happy all the time (…that can have its own downsides). Rather, our goal is to provide you with a better understanding of how emotions function, and to provide you with some strategies for how to better manage your emotions when needed, so they don’t get the better of you.