Tips for coping with Emotional Pain

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Accept that pain is a normal part of life …

A relationship break up, the death of your pet, failing an exam, being hurt by a friend.  It means that you are human and not a machine – but how do you cope with the hurt and the pain?

1. Endure it. There are some things in life which you can’t just wish away. You have to be patient and allow yourself to heal. For example, if you break your arm you have to wear it in a cast; and if your heart is broken, you have to let it heal. You have to ride the roller coaster till your feelings stabilise.

2. Talk to someone. It’s natural to conclude that no-one understands and to want to repress, or to try and hide, the pain. But you need the compassion of those who truly care. Take the offer of help and get support from your friends.

3. Don’t allow other people to trivialise your feelings. Your feelings are real and should be treated with respect. And accepting how you feel will enable you to grieve, and to start to recover and to be yourself again.

4. Don’t allow yourself to fixate on your negative emotions. It is healthy to acknowledge how terrible you feel. But don’t allow the pity party to drag on for too long. Force yourself to go out, and to spend time with your friends. Get involved in other things, and maybe try out something new.

5. Don’t allow your pain define you. It may have been a trauma, and a terrible thing – but don’t let what happened determine what you’ll do, or who you will become, or how good your life will be. You win in life by choosing your own destiny.

6. Don’t play the blame game. Regardless of what happened, don’t indulge in blaming others – for that’s not going to help you to move on with your life. See it as a chance to learn, and gain some life experience. You have grown as a person and have better coping skills. Thus, it can serve to make you stronger, and wiser, in the end.

7. Put together a ‘Thankfulness List’. Make a list of all the things that you are thankful for today. It will speed up your recovery and change the way you feel.