How Can We Process Sadness Through Comfort?

There are phases in life where we are in low moods and most people have the idea that dwelling in negative emotions is bad for us. However, it is not a must for someone to instantly feel better and happy. Instead, we may find comfort in sadness, which allows us to not minimise our sadness.

When we feel all the feelings and do all the things that help you cope with your emotions by yourself without any judgements, you may find it the most comforting thing to do. It can be so relieving to let it all out or to let that pressure out physically, where it may be common for some to externalise the internal pain through crying.

However, through the process of feeling the negative emotions, it must be important to note that we should not allow sadness to dictate our life. As shared by our peers, we must keep in mind that there is a limit to finding comfort in sadness and that our happiness will last.

It is also possible to challenge ourselves to push past the emotions, where we aim to feel better in the long run. There will be a realisation of knowing you deserve better and distinguishing between comfort versus bringing myself down.

Set those limits for ourselves to know the red flags in advance such as being in the right emotional space before it happens.

Let’s look at some ways our peers have managed to push through the negative emotions!

#1 Being Open

You know yourself best, and people around you love you and want the best for you. But sometimes how they express their intention to help doesn’t come out right. Communication and language are very important, where you can prompt them to be more mindful with their language while remaining patient with them.

#2 Acknowledging Progress

It is not an instantaneous progress to feel better, and we must be reminded that taking baby steps to the road of recovery is okay. We can experiment with different ways of pushing through the negative emotions and should not be afraid to give them a try. It might be worse, but it might also be better.

#3 Self-Reliance

Apart from counting on others, it is also important to rely on yourself to improve your mental wellbeing. You can ask self-prompting questions to encourage yourself such as “Is sitting with this emotion helpful? If not, what can I do to get a better state?”. This can allow you to be accountable for your own emotions and actions and prevent yourself from sinking in an internal foothold.

Dealing with negative emotions through comfort in sadness is one of the many thematic sharing during the Circles of Resilience (CR) sessions – our peer support group for young adults.

Join the authentic conversations in a safe space at tinyurl.com/register4CR, and journey with a community of like-minded individuals through resilience and recovery.