The word emotion comes from the Latin emovere , which means to stir, stir or excite. The definition of emotion refers to any agitation and disorder of the mind, feeling, passion, any vehement or excited state of mind; It is the affective state that occurs in the human being abruptly and suddenly, in the form of a crisis of greater or lesser intensity and duration. This is characterized by being a deprivation in the mind, facilitating them to adapt to a circumstance in relation to a place, object, person, among others.
What is an emotion
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By definition of emotion, it is known as the set of organic responses that a person feels when reacting to some external stimuli that makes it easier for him to adapt to a circumstance in relation to an individual, place, object, among others.
These are characterized by being a disturbance of the mood for a short period but, with greater impetus than a feeling. On the other hand, feelings are the results of emotions, therefore they are longer and can be expressed.
As has been confirmed in different studies on what these organic responses are, it is revealed that they have a very important role in the health systems of an individual. So much so, that in many situations it happens that a disease is triggered by certain experiences that cause a particular emotion, as is the case with mental disorders or phobias. Likewise, there are cases of epilepsy, where emotions are a predominant cause.
What are emotions are shown as phenomena of psycho-physiological origin, which according to the opinion of experts, express effective forms of adaptation to different environmental variations. In the psychological context, feelings cause startles in attention signals and raise the levels of different behaviors in the range of responses of each person who experiences them.
As far as the physiological part is concerned, these organic responses and feelings allow organizing the reactions of different biological structures, including the voice, facial expressions, the endocrine system and muscles, with the purpose of establishing an appropriate internal environment for behavior. ideal.
Feelings are the motivators of different organic responses that are usually psychological, physiological or behavioral, that is, they are responses that can be both inborn, and be influenced by prior knowledge or experiences.
These organic responses that produce emotions are under the control of the limbic system, made up of various brain structures that regulate physiological reactions.
However, an emotion can also cause a behavior that could be acquired previously, such as facial expressions, for example.
In this way, the specialist Charles Darwin believed that facial expressions show many emotions that, in general, are quite similar in all individuals. In fact, he defined that feelings behaviors develop depending on their movements or postures.
On the other hand, there are other theories of emotion that are equally delimited in the physiology, behavior or psychology of the human being.
It is important to mention that affective neuroscience, an expression established by JA Panksepp, is a branch of neuroscience responsible for studying the neurological factors of emotions, affective development and the state of mind of people.
Components of emotions
Feelings
Behind what are emotions and feelings, there are three systems that compose them: neurovegetative, behavioral and cognitive. The feelings are not restricted to what we feel, but produce responses in series in the body and behavior of the person.
The essence of this is variant, the same organic response does not remain during the same period of time; in case that happens then it would be a feeling, as is love. It can then be said that feelings are the compilation of emotions and thoughts, an organic response emotion can be transformed into feeling as the individual becomes aware of it.
This can also be perceived with intensity, since despite being momentary and changing, it can save the necessary energy to cause a fairly large impact. For example, if an event produces a sensation of anger, at the moment in which that organic response is activated it is very difficult for the person to control it, since all three components have been triggered and both his body and his mind will meet immersed in that organic response. In these cases, emotional normalization is extremely important, since through it the release of said energy will be managed.
Expressions
When it comes to behavior, expressions are a visible element when experiencing an emotion, it can be translated into impulsive and energetic behaviors, as well as the reflection of facial expressions. The tone of voice, the prosody, the melody of the person, the frown, a smile, etc. they are elements that show the impact that the organic response has had.
Types of emotions
In addition to many studies and theories about emotion, there are also about its types and how to classify them if they are positive or negative.
Positive emotions are the group that are related to pleasant feelings, that accept the situation as favorable and are sustained for a short time.
On the other hand, there are the negatives that allow unpleasant feelings to be stimulated and a situation that is taken as harmful can be analyzed, which allows the person to activate their coping resources.
Some examples of these moods are:
Happiness
Joy or happiness is a positive emotion that human beings experience from birth and that over the years becomes a great source of motivation. This is quite useful in children as it helps to strengthen the bond between parents and children, an essential foundation for survival.
Sadness
This is a negative emotion in which an evaluation system is carried out on something that happened; that something is the failure or loss of that which is important to the individual. This failure or loss can be probable or real and temporary or permanent.
A very interesting point of sadness is the connection that it allows to establish with others through, for example, the empathy that can be experienced if a being close to the person is the one who suffers failure or loss and experiences the sadness as my own. Another way that sadness can present itself in the present as a reflection of some memory from the past or in anticipation of something that is believed to happen in the future.
Fear
This is perceived by the person as an unpleasant sensation in the presence of a danger, whether real or imagined. That is, it refers to the emotion that is experienced when faced with what is considered a true danger, where the mental or physical well-being of the person is threatened, so the body responds and prepares it to face or flee of said danger.
Go to
This is born as a self - protection system when the person feels offended, mistreated or when they witness an attack on a loved one, causing an affective state of anger, indignation, rage and frustration.
Surprise
It is a type of neutral emotion, since it does not have a negative or positive connotation in itself. It is that which suffers when something happens completely unexpectedly, that is, when sudden stimuli are given.
Being a sudden event, the body considers that it has failed in its attempt to predict the outside world, that is why it tries to explain itself about this unforeseen stimulus to specify if it is an opportunity or if it is a threat.
Disgust
It is experienced when something generates displeasure, so a tension is born that seeks to reject or avoid said stimulus. It is a defense system that the body has to protect itself, that is where nausea arises as a means of response to this stimulus.
Emotional reactions
There is a large series of natural reactions or responses of the body to any type of stimulus, these responses can be:
Physiological
The physiological factor of emotion is the variations that develop in the function of the central nervous system (CNS) and that is related to the cognition mechanisms that decipher the information that the organism captures and the emotional phases that originate. The physiological subsystems that are connected with the emotional state are three: the CNS, the autonomic nervous system and the limbic system.
During the emotional process, the following centers of the central nervous system are considered to be particularly active:
- The cerebral cortex is part of the CNS.
- The hypothalamus is part of the limbic system.
- The amygdala is related to feelings of anger, pleasure, pain, and fear.
- Spinal cord.
- Reticular formation, the maker of reality.
Psychological
The subjective factor of emotion is the group of cognitive processes connected with emotional reactions to certain characteristics of the environment and to physiological changes.
Any approach that tries to explain the subjective component of emotion may be special cases of the others, that is, it originates from a certain level of abstraction which defines its complexity, from the superficial organic response resulting from elementary perceptions and responses. immediate, to complex feelings consequence of the study of environments and complex scenarios, which involve foundations of memory and contemplated conditions of future, present and past states of people.
In this way, the same generic classes of emotion, for example, anger, can be caused in different ways, depending on the level of abstraction, by a rapid response to a direct nervous stimulus, such as a wound, or as a consequence of a cognitive appraisal of the environment, such as feeling offended or offended.
Behavioral
Behavioral reactions are the perceptible factor of people associated with emotional mental conditions. It is believed that behavioral reactions to emotional contexts do not compose behaviors logically or directly associated with the surrounding situation, that is, behaviors characteristic of different contexts are, in general, ascending behaviors.
Ascending behaviors associated with emotions, may have the mission of communicating or transmitting the emotional condition of one person to another, either to intimidate or prevent it, they could be involuntary and defensive responses to the attacker or the enemy, imaginary or real, it can in addition, it is a way of searching for appropriate behaviors to maneuver a certain unknown scenario.
All about emotions
What is emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability that individuals possess to understand, recognize and manage their own organic responses, as well as that of the people around them. In this way, intelligence of this type simplifies interpersonal relationships, as well as goal attainment, problem solving, and stress management.
In summary, having what emotional intelligence is provides the ability to be in tune with feelings about oneself and the impact they cause on the person and those around him, as well as the emotional impact that others have towards us and the signs of empathy that are shown to family, friends or any close friend when they show happiness, discontent, boredom, anger, sadness, to give some examples of emotions.
What is sports emotion
It originates through physical activity, it produces endorphins in the nervous system that activates the emotional part in a positive way and makes the person feel good. Depending on the sport that is practiced, different types of organic response can be experienced.
For example, extreme sports cause feelings of anxiety and fear. Fear is a very intense organic response, your job is to find a way to survive. In sport fear is provoked and, to a large extent, it can be controlled.
What is emotional dependency
At present, there is much talk about emotional dependence, this expression is commonly used to refer to the individual who presents a lot of anxiety before the intention of abandonment and is willing to endure and do any kind of things in order not to be helpless, even when the relationship with the other makes him suffer.
Emotional attachment is usually associated with a type of relationship where one is dominant and the other is dependent. Although this is not the only type of affective instability, there are various classes associated with psychological pathologies related to dependency.
There are two types of dependency which we will mention below:
- Vertical dependence: it is when the individual totally depends on another: it is the kind of relationship that exists between young children and their parents, for example. Parents care, provide and the child depends on them to survive
- Horizontal dependency: in this case it is an interdependence between adults. Everyone receives and gives, supports and cares for each other. Among adults, this horizontal interdependence would be typical of a balanced and healthy relationship.
Managing emotions
The management of emotions is the ability of the human being to understand, feel, modify and control emotional states in himself and in others.
In order to manage emotions, the person must first learn to live with them and identify when they are positive and when they are not. Managing them lies in knowing how to control them, when you realize that they are running amok.
For example, when faced with emotions of anger, it is best to take a deep breath, release the air, count to 10. Repeat, until you feel calm. Another example would be to get away from what can cause discomfort. Another option could be to try to talk about the feelings, the person should not repress their feelings, the healthiest thing is to speak it directly.
It is very important, also when managing feelings, that the subject must learn to listen and understand the feelings of the other person without reacting emotionally to his, masterfully, in this way the emergence of conflicts will be avoided.
To have optimal health in this regard, it is recommended that the person be able to recognize their own feelings and those of other people, to motivate and correctly direct their affectivity, both in themselves and towards others, in order to manage feelings. in such a way that they can express themselves correctly and with affection, allowing self-knowledge and healthy coexistence, thus achieving good emotional health
Both intelligence and emotional control relapse in the ability to direct and understand women and men, acting wisely in human relationships.
How to control emotions
There are various theories on how to control emotions. Certain psychologists think that you should have complete control of your feelings and others think that there is no way to control it.
However, there is research that determines that the way feelings are interpreted can change the way they are lived. The way you react to this emotion defines how it will act on the individual.
Emotional crisis
Crises of this type are a natural process, a critical condition where people must make decisions. In every process of development of a person, new moments can be reflected, unexpected changes that cause fear and make people think differently from what they usually would, feeling that way helps them to be more active, moving the individual away from their comfort zone, of its passivity and inactivity.
To know how to control these crises it is important to develop: analysis, discernment, objectivity, responsibility for our lives, detachment, self-control, motivation, commitment, among others.
When crises are not only social and external, but are also internal, it is extremely important to bear in mind that emotion, thought and attitude are fundamental to achieve learning everything that is truly needed, not to be confused with what " will have to live ”.
Emotional instability
Instability is characteristic of the personality that causes the person who suffers it, extreme emotional volatility. It is also known as neuroticism, this condition is quite difficult to change, however it is possible to learn to cope with certain consequences and reduce the number of problems it causes in the daily life of those who suffer from it.
The therapies acceptance and commitment and cognitive or behavioral are helpful to improve the emotional and psychological instability of people suffering from this disorder.
On the one hand the theories of acceptance and commitment teach people how to accept their thoughts and emotions without them taking control of them. On the other hand, the cognitive-conceptual are used to directly treat neuroticism problems, these therapies are a mixture of the cognitive that is based on the thoughts and the behavioral associated with the behavior.
