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Tips for Managing Your Emotions
Take a Moment in the Moment
Pause and label the feeling. Naming an emotion—“ I’ m feeling overwhelmed right now”— buys you a second to respond carefully rather than react with annoyance.
Notice how the feeling shows up in your body. Is your breathing shallow? Your jaw clenched? Your shoulders scrunched up? This helps you recognize the physical effects of an emotion, sometimes even before you can name it.
Ground yourself within your body. Slow, deep breaths from the diaphragm( the muscle that sits below your lungs and heart that helps you breathe) or a brief walk can quickly downshift the“ fight-or-flight” response. Try breathing in for a count of four, out for a count of six.
Shift Your Mindset
Reframe the experience. Research shows that looking at a stressful event from a more positive angle helps you cope in the here-and-now and build resilience for the future. Try statements like,“ My partner isn’ t ignoring me; Parkinson’ s is scrambling their signals.”
Remember, you are not your emotions. Emotions don’ t define you. You may feel angry or anxious, but that doesn’ t mean you are an angry or anxious person. Try stating it that way:“ I am feeling angry right now,” not“ I am angry.”
Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is awareness, without judgment, of the present: your thoughts, feelings, sensations and environment. In one research study, nine weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, a program that teaches mindfulness tools and skills, raised awareness in care partners and improved patients’ quality of life. You and your loved one can practice together. Five minutes of a guided breathing or body-scan exercise can steady you both.
Seek professional or peer help. Virtual support groups, classes in which you learn mindfulness and other skills or counseling sessions can provide tools for emotion understanding and regulation and reduce any sense of isolation.
Check in with your loved one. Make checking in on emotions a habit. Ask something like,“ On a scale of one to five, how do you feel?” Ask what’ s behind their answer, and don’ t shy away from the“ big” emotions. Many care partners keep grief, guilt or overwhelm to themselves for fear their loved one might feel responsible. Your loved one may have similar feelings, even if for different reasons, and discussing them can bring you closer.
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Section Title
Build Emotional Management Muscles
Dig deeper. Look for what’ s behind your feelings. If you often feel irritated, ask why. Is it a lack of sleep? Stress? Not feeling well in general? Journaling or talking with others can get to the root cause.
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