Lets Talk MH (P2)

What Do Emotions Mean? 5 Methods to Determine Your Moods: a blog post on how you can identify your current emotional state

Have you ever realised that as a kid you were taught the basic emotions like sad, happy, angry and upset. However, as an adult you're expected to be able to define your emotions to a deeper, more specific type. For example, jealousy, betrayal, vulnerability, unheard, loved, excited and valued. However, where do we learn to understand these new emotions and how to refer to them? Personally, I don't remember being taught more than the basics. I just seem to have figured it out for myself. I think this comes from learning to ask why I may feel a specific way. 

How are you feeling?

There are many ways to decide how you may be feeling and thus how to act accordingly. Below are a few ways I use. Please feel free to try them out and to also find what works for you in expressing your needs and emotions.  

Option 1: have a look at the emotion wheel. This will help you narrow the so-called basic emotions into what they feed into on a more detailed emotional level. 

Option 2: Talk therapy is a way to learn more about where your emotions may derive from and how to  manage them. There is no shame in therapy and it is often helpful to sound board different situations. It is also ok to work with a psychiatrist and eventually feel the need to change providers. Sometimes you need more (or less) from a specific individual provider, adding to your team can help you find the resource you seek. Bear in mind that the best way to gain from a one on one or group program is to share and participate. 

Option 3: Pattern recognition is a good technique to use in frequent situations. Humans are creatures of habit and if you can prepare before you react impulsively in a situation you are likely to feel better. For example, as a medical provider I need to be calm in a crisis. Human nature is to panic when presented with difficult situations of uncertainty. I like to think rationally as much as I can before I'm ever in a situation. I find a good way to do this is to think through scenarios. I find that even knowing my first three steps will help in a real event. 

Let's try it- 

Scenario: your patient has a change in states.

My first action is to keep my patient safe while calling for additional help.

Second, I can always get vital signs and note the start time of the event.

Third, I can keep my patient calm and reassured that we  are helping them.

And for this scenario, when more help has arrived I can clear the room of extra equipment and furniture to allow for additional procedures or patient relocations. This of course is not the end of an event, however, it is my first several steps to take. 

Good vs Bad

Both positive and negative emotions serve a purpose. It is this purpose that we can harness into an advantage. Simultaneously, both positive and negative emotions can be unsafe or negatively driven. 

A positive emotion such as excitement, is beneficial because you are anticipating the good in life. Having good things in life is what people need on a day to day. 

A positive emotion such as excitement, can have a negative effect when it causes you to act impulsively or without first considering the full impact of the situation. Remember that anticipation is part of what makes good things great.

A negative emotion such as fear, is beneficial because it leads to self preservation. A little fear can be motivating. 

A negative emotion such as fear, can have a negative effect when you allow it to stop you from taking opportunities or if it causes you to live in negativity. Remember that spontaneity can be a beautiful thing. 

How much depression is to much 

Mayo clinic states that “depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.”

PHQ-9 (patient health questions test)

https://www.hiv.uw.edu/page/mental-health-screening/phq-9

1-4 none

5-9 mild

10-14 moderate

15-19 moderately severe 

20-27 severe

How much anxiety is to much 

GAD-7 (general anxiety disorder) 

https://www.sanangelocounseling.org/storage/UserFileFolder/GAD-7_2.pdf 

0-9 none / normal

10-18 mid - moderate

19-29 moderate - severe 

30+ severe 

Lets try to make these conversations normal within every day society without a dedcated situation.