Tap into Your Emotions After Brain Injury
Your thoughts are strongly linked to your emotions. How you think about or interpret a situation will influence how you feel. Those thoughts can be a good indicator of what emotions you might be experiencing.
Take a look at the examples below. In each one, first you'll see a thought that you might have had. And then next you'll see the emotions such a thought could trigger.
Thought: That driver cut me off.
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Emotions: Angry, scared
Thought: No one listens to me.
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Emotions: Frustrated, sad, dejected
Thought: She lied to me.
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Emotions: Angry, disappointed, worried
Thought: Oh no! I screwed up!
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Emotions: Embarrassed, guilty, ashamed
Thought: That was so nice of them.
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Emotions: Gratitude, appreciation
Thought: I did an amazing job.
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Emotions: Proud, happy, thrilled
Thought: Things will get better.
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Emotions: Hopeful, optimistic, encouraged
Thought: My family is the best.
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Emotions: Cared for, love, affection
Can you see how some of the thoughts could lead to the emotions we name? Do you think you might feel the same emotions? Would you feel different? Why or why not?
Consider keeping a journal where you connect your own thoughts to emotions.