Most commonly, people struggle with acknowledging emotions – I can certainly relate, as I used to find it difficult too. It took much practice and heightened awareness to identify precise, nuanced emotions and express them constructively. The usual emotions we hear about, and experience are: bad, sad, angry, happy, and scared.

Sometimes it’s okay not to pinpoint specific emotions to describe our mental and emotional states. However, these general terms might not be sufficient when complex issues arise. This can lead to feelings of confusion, powerlessness, helplessness, and anger due to the inability to identify precisely what you’re feeling.

Here are some ways in which acknowledging specific emotions can help:
– It increases self-awareness (we get to understand ourselves better).
– It allows others to understand us more deeply when we communicate these emotions.
– It assists us in identifying the thoughts that precede these emotions, allowing us to evaluate their rationality.
– Understanding and accurately communicating our struggles increase the likelihood of receiving the help we genuinely need.
– It facilitates emotional expression, an essential part of us as social-emotional beings, and promotes healing and emotional regulation.

I recommend saving this chart on your phone, so you can have easy access to it whenever needed. I hope it proves useful to you. Please feel free to let me know if it does.