Introduction
In the mental health arena, emotional regulation is one of the main focuses for improving well-being and social success. Emotional regulation involves emotional intelligence and the ability to express emotions without being activated to the point of shutting down or automatically being defensive. Therefore, isolating yourself and frustrating others. But what is emotion?
Ask yourself, what would you say emotion is? Many say it’s a feeling. If we are trying to regulate it, we would want to know what emotion is and why we have emotions, right? This is where it gets tricky. We generally say, “My emotion feels like . . .” BUT did you know that feelings and emotions are two separate mechanisms? Maybe this is where understanding emotions get complicated. How do you put your emotion and feelings into words, if you can’t parse out what either one is?
Understanding Emotions and Feelings
This is obviously a good conversation to have. Feelings and emotions are related but distinct processes, each serving different roles in how we experience and respond to the world. Emotions are automatic, unconscious physiological, and neurological responses triggered by stimuli, internal or external. Emotions are neither good nor bad. They just are. Yet, we generally have “emotional judgment” (Willroth et al. 2023). Did you know that sadness, anger and fear are viewed as bad.
The Science of Emotions
Here is more information on how emotions work in the body and why. Brain origin: emotion arises in the limbic system of the brain, particularly the amygdala and hypothalamus where it urges one to action. It can be said emotions are “energy in motion” or an “action signal.” Characteristics: Fast and instinctive. Can be without conscious awareness or thought. Universal across humans and many animals.
There are nine universal emotions that our brains are wired to respond to their sensations: joy, sad/sorrow, anger, fear, love, interest/surprise, disgust, guilt/shame. They can be called our “primary emotions.” Involve bodily changes, like increased heart rate, sweating, or blushing.
Understanding Feelings
Feelings: Definition: The conscious perception and interpretation of emotions, influenced by personal experiences, memories, and thoughts. Brain Origin: Processed in the cerebral cortex, particularly the prefrontal cortex. Characteristics: Slower, as they involve cognitive appraisal and mental processing. Subjective and shaped by individual experiences. Feelings emerge when the brain processes the raw emotional response in the context of memories, thoughts, and personal experiences.
Feelings are the conscious interpretation and mental processing of emotions. Provide context and meaning to raw emotional responses. For instance, the initial fear from seeing a snake (emotion) might evolve into anxiety, relief, or even curiosity as you consciously think about the situation (feeling).
The Relationship Between Emotions and Feelings
Relationship: Sequence: Emotions typically come first as immediate responses to stimuli, and feelings follow as a reflection or interpretation of those emotions. Example: Emotion: You instinctively feel fear when you hear a loud noise. Feeling: After assessing the situation, you realize the noise was a car backfiring and feel relief. This distinction helps explain why we can experience emotions without fully understanding or labeling them as specific feelings.
So, while emotions are the raw, instinctive responses to stimuli, feelings are how we mentally make sense of and interpret those responses. In other words: Emotions are the “what” (the reaction). Feelings are the “why” (the meaning).
Secondary Emotions and Individual Interpretations
This distinction helps explain why emotions are universal and shared across species, while feelings are deeply personal and shaped by individual experiences.
Think of how siblings can be raised in the same home with the same parents but have a totally different interpretation of how life was in the home. In addition to individual interpretations and perceptions, there are also individual temperaments (personalities) with their own thought systems that give birth to “secondary emotions” which are emotions mixed with feelings, that or they are two different emotions felt at the same time:
Example: The emotion experienced is anger, and the bodily response generally is sensed in the head or chest, and a second emotion added to the mix is shame which is felt in the face and chest. Emotions entangled with feelings: sadness that turns to hurt, and then evolves to anger Feelings (thoughts, core beliefs, personal experiences) entangled with emotions: Worried turns to fear.
Here is a fascinating research article that reveals emotional states colored with feelings and how it manifest in the body. Check out the graphs found in this research which provide a visual to this knowledge that emotions are physiological responses (embodied) with feelings or two emotions felt at one time https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3896150/ (Bodily maps of emotions)
Conclusion
The more we can understand how emotions and feelings inform one’s life experience, then we can incorporate regulating them both for better mental health outcomes. Awareness is the first step. What are you experiencing? Can you name the emotion or the feelings you are having?
References
Davely, S., Halberstadt, J., Bell, E. (2021, December 22). Where is emotional feeling felt in the body? An integrative review. PLOS One. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0261685
L. Nummenmaa, E. Glerean, R. Hari, J.K. Hietanen, Bodily maps of emotions, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111 (2) 646-651, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1321664111 (2014). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3896150/
Murnan, A. (2023, August 21). Where are trapped emotions stored? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/emotions-trapped-in-the-body#locations
Willroth, E.C., Young, G, Tamir, M., Mauss, I B. (2023, October 23) Judging emotions as good or bad: Individual differences and associations with psychological health. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36913276/
