What Do Emotions Mean?
Emotions are complicated. We all feel them, but we don't all feel them in the same way. Sadness to one person can mean a whole different thing to someone else. To someone who is generally happy, sadness may seem like a short term feeling to them, something that will go away soon, whereas to someone with depression or someone with a lot going on, sadness may be a heavier word to them. It can have long term associations, pain, and many other negative feelings. Because of this, it is important to understand that emotions are just descriptions of real feelings that people feel on a daily basis, and that it is just a word that has many different meanings and associations for different people.
The definition of emotions is an intuitive feeling based on one's circumstances and surroundings. This means that emotions can change based on what is going on around you. That statement is important because when struggling with long term sadness or depression, it is often a common thought that the sadness will never end, or that you cant feel happiness anymore. Understanding that emotions are not permanent and are ever changing is important in getting out of feelings of negative emotions.
Our individual understandings of emotions come from our childhood. If we were raised knowing that it is okay to cry when sad, and if we see people smile when happy, that will be how we express those emotions as we grow up. But on the other hand, if as children we are taught that it is not okay to express emotions openly through crying and jumping for joy, then we will grow up thinking that is the proper way to express emotions. We are all raised differently, with different values, which leads to the fact that everyone interprets and understands emotions differently.
Empathy also can come with understanding emotions. Those that are empathetic people, can understand what people are feelling, and express that they understand. Empathy is showing people that you feel for them, and have the ability to feel what they are feeling. Not everyone is capable of being empathetic, which can also contribute to not everyone being able to understand others emotions. In therapy, empathy is prominent to ensure that clients know that their therapist or counselor is understanding not only what they are saying but also what they are feeling.
