Practical Tips for Managing Your Emotions
Nobody’ s perfect. We all have moments of annoyance or impatience with the people we love. These are normal human reactions when things get hard. Learning how to recover and reconnect after tense moments protects, and often deepens, a relationship.
Take a Moment in the Moment
Pause and label the feeling.
Notice how the feeling shows up in your body.
Ground yourself within your body.
Naming an emotion—“ I’ m feeling overwhelmed right now”— buys you a second to respond carefully rather than react with annoyance.
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.
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.
Remember, you are not your emotions.
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.
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.”
This resource is part of Facing Parkinson’ s Together: A Guide for Care Partners, created by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson ' s Research. To download the full guide, please visit michaeljfox. org / care-partners or scan the QR code.
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