How to Release Negative Emotions

Co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS

Last Updated: March 25, 2023 References

Feeling emotion is part of being human. Although you have to feel negative emotions sometimes, you don’t have to allow them control of your life. Learn how to cope with negative emotions in the moment by refocusing your attention and getting out of your head. Train yourself to break negative thinking patterns to improve your mood long-term. Finally, learn a few techniques to help you accept and understand negative emotions when they occur.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting Out of Your Head

1
Do an intense physical activity. Releasing negative emotions can be done just as effectively with your body as with your mind. If you are hung up on bad vibes, take a timeout and get active. Exercise is naturally good for you at any time. Right now, however, it can provide an outlet for negative feelings and promote a more positive mood state through the generation of feel-good chemicals, called endorphins.
- Participate in some type of activity that fully engages your body and allows you to blow off steam, such as running, boxing, swimming, or contact sports. Even a 30-minute walk can offer you a much-needed emotional lift.^{[1]
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2
Take a nap. Being chronically stressed by negative emotions can place your body in “fight or flight” mode, in which you are primed for action around-the-clock. If you have been fighting negative feelings for some time, you may be racking your brain about what to do or thinking nonstop about what is going wrong. Doing this for a prolonged period of time can cause mental fatigue.^{[2]
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Research source} Fatigue can worsen negative emotions or hinder your ability to cope with them in a positive way. Taking a nap can reduce stress by allowing your brain and body to rest and reset.^{[3]
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- Planning a short nap of approximately 20-30 minutes can help you combat any mental fatigue you may feel. When you wake, you may feel more capable of dealing with negative feelings as short naps can improve alertness and performance.^{[4]
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3
Use creativity. Another way to release negative emotions is through artistic pursuits. With art, you can get out of your head temporarily and channel those feelings into a positive activity. Make a sculpture. Develop a fictional story. Grab some paints, crayons, or markers and create a picture. Direct your feelings into the lyrics of a new song. Turn on some music and express your feelings through dance.
- Art allows you to use potentially destructive emotions for a constructive purpose. Such activities can minimize stress and anxiety, and even allow you to find meaning in your emotional pain.^{[5]
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- If you aren’t particularly artistic, pick up an adult coloring book and some colored pencils. Coloring doesn’t require a lot of skill, but it provides many of the same stress-busting benefits as other forms of creativity.^{[6]
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4
Spend time with close family or friends. A great way to get out of your head when you’re bothered by negative emotions is to hang with people who care about you. Friends and family who are understanding and supportive can help you to cope with and resolve painful feelings. Negative emotions are a necessary part of life, and they often allow us to grow and become stronger.^{[7]
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Research source} Still, that doesn’t mean you have to carry the burden on your own.
- Turn to someone you trust and explain the emotions you are experiencing.^{[8]
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  Research source} Ask for distraction, consolation, or guidance as to how you should cope. Whatever you need, let your loved one give it to you.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Shifting to Positives

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Avoid dwelling on your problems. Sometimes, when you feel bad, you may think about an upsetting situation over and over again, a concept referred to as rumination. Perhaps you tell yourself that you are trying to understand it better. Nevertheless, all this does is make you feel worse. Try not to blow things out of proportion by constantly dwelling on your negative feelings. If you find yourself ruminating, try one of the following techniques:^{[9]
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- Schedule a worry period of 20-30 minutes every day. During this time period, you are allowed to think about what’s going wrong. After the time passes, push these concerns away and remind yourself that you have to wait until the next window.
- Try to identify what’s behind the rumination. For example, if you keep thinking about something your boss said to you at work, ask yourself why it is bothering you so much. Are you worried about your work performance?
- Identify the worst-case scenario, and ask yourself if you can handle it. Knowing how you would deal with the worst that can happen can help you feel more confident and let go of what’s bothering you.
2
Problem-solve the issue. If you are experiencing a negative emotion, the emotion probably has some underlying cause. If you want to shift the way you are thinking and feeling, you must take action against the problem that is causing the feeling. This type of coping is useful when you have some control over the situation, such as problems at school, work, or in your relationships.^{[10]
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- For example, maybe you are highly stressed because you are failing your mathematics course. A good way to resolve your negative feelings is to brainstorm what actions you can take to resolve the situation and/or improve how you feel about it.
- You may be able to get a tutor, ask the instructor for extra assignments or additional study tools, or, if it is simply bad timing, you may be able to drop the course and take it again later. Think of all the possible avenues you can take and then map out a plan.
3
Challenge negative and irrational thinking. The way you view certain circumstances can have a huge impact on your emotional state. It’s easy to fall into the trap of irrational or catastrophic thinking. Take a moment to think about how you are reacting to a situation, and try to identify and challenge irrational thoughts or beliefs that may be affecting your mood.^{[11]
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- For example, say you are upset because you believe your girlfriend is about to break up with you. You don’t have solid facts, just a hunch. You can overcome negative feelings and resolve the situation by asking yourself some questions, such as:^{[12]
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  - What evidence do I have that this is true? What evidence do I have that this is not true?
  - Is there another way to interpret this situation?
  - Have I confused a belief or opinion with a fact?
  - If it did happen, what could I do to cope or handle the situation?
  - What would a friend say about my thought?
4
Replace negative thoughts with more realistic ones. Frequently, you may feel trapped in negative mood states due to the words you are repeating in your head. Changing your self-talk, therefore, can also change the way you feel. The next time you notice one of those negative self-talk “tapes” playing in your head, make a conscious effort to replace the negative thought with something more realistic and hopeful.^{[13]
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- For example, you may find yourself thinking, “I’m a terrible dancer. I’ll never be good at this.” Instead, tell yourself, “If I keep practicing, my dancing will improve.”
- When you’re used to thinking negatively, it’s easier for your brain to accept neutral thoughts than excessively positive ones. Instead of telling yourself, “I am the best dancer ever,” try something like “I’m still learning, and that’s okay.”

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Accepting Negative Emotions

1
Explore your feelings through mindful meditation. Mindful meditation is a technique that allows you to focus on the moment and become more aware of what you are feeling. Take a few minutes to sit in a quiet, comfortable place. Close your eyes and breathe deeply, allowing yourself to feel and acknowledge your emotions and bodily sensations. Don’t judge or analyze what you feel—simply make note of it and let it be.^{[14]
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- For example, you might think to yourself, “I am feeling anxious. My shoulders are a little tense. I feel full from lunch.”
2
Do a body scan to identify areas where you are holding tension. The body scan is a form of meditation that relieves physical and emotional tension by helping you become more attuned to your body.^{[15]
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Research source} Go into a quiet room or space where you can sit or lie down for several minutes without distractions. Take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Focus on the different parts of your body, paying attention to how your muscles feel and what sensations you are experiencing there. Focus on relaxing each muscle as you go.^{[16]
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- If your mind starts to wander from this task, return your attention to the given body part as soon as possible.
- Certain sensations you get in your body can clue you in on your emotional state. Right now, you are not trying to change anything, but merely bring awareness to how different parts of your body feel.
3
Tune in to your physical feelings and their relation to your emotions. Learning to identify your emotions is central to gaining acceptance of them. When you are experiencing an emotion, physical and mental responses may come along with it. For example, fear may come with heightened sensations in your face and arms, in addition to shortness of breath and clenched muscles. Happiness may come with electric tingles that radiate throughout the body in addition to a feeling of lightness or buoyancy.^{[17]
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Trustworthy Source
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Official peer-reviewed and multidisciplary journal for the National Academy of Sciences.
Go to source} You can learn how to identify these emotions by tuning in to your body through meditation.
- Breathe deeply and try to relax your body and mind. Once your thoughts begin to slow down, ask yourself, "What am I feeling right now?"
- Try to pinpoint where in your body the emotion is being expressed. What color would you give this emotion? What name? Start by trying to label what you are feeling from the four basic categories: mad, happy, afraid, or sad.^{[18]
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4
Try Somatic Experiencing therapy to deal with trauma-related stress. Somatic Experiencing (SE) therapy is also a good way to get in touch with the way your body reacts to negative emotions. This therapy focuses on helping patients become aware of their physical reactions to negative emotions and discover new coping strategies.
5
Perform a letting go ritual. It can be incredibly therapeutic to release negative emotions by engaging in symbolic rituals. Such actions give a tangible, physical presence to intangible, emotional experiences. There are many ways you can release emotion through ritual.^{[19]
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Research source} For example:
- Buy some window crayons and write out words or phrases on the shower tiles as you bathe. You might cry or express your emotion during your shower. As you finish, the words will have started to wash away. You may have to rub them a bit, but, in general, once you have finished cleaning your body, you have also cleansed yourself of those painful emotions.
- Write a letter—to yourself or to someone else who hurt you. Write down all your thoughts, feelings, and any actions you have wanted to take. Once you are done, read over the letter. Then, use a match to burn the letter. Spread the ashes in the wind, or flush them down the toilet.

Warnings

Never turn to alcohol, drugs, unsafe sex, or other risk-taking behaviors when you are experiencing negative emotions. These activities may allow you to temporarily take your mind off your feelings, but, oftentimes, they result in negative outcomes that further complicate a bad situation. Call a doctor or therapist if you have been using any of these activities to cope.

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