You’ve likely heard the term “emotional baggage,” which refers to the burden of carrying unresolved trauma or negative experiences through various aspects of life, including relationships and careers.
This emotional weight can often be reflected in a person’s posture, as if they are physically carrying an unbearable load, preventing them from moving forward in life.
While everyone carries some degree of unprocessed emotions from past experiences, these feelings don’t just disappear if left unaddressed. Unresolved emotions can influence how you perceive yourself, react to stress, affect your physical health, and impact your relationships with others.
Though some people refer to trauma as being “stored” or “trapped” in the body, this idea isn’t strictly scientific. However, the symptoms of traumatic stress can manifest physically, potentially because the brain subconsciously associates certain body areas with specific memories.
Mark Olson, PhD, LMT, owner and director of the Pacific Center for Awareness & Bodywork, suggests that activating certain body areas might trigger these memories. “Emotions are constantly being generated — subconsciously or consciously — in response to the reactivation of memories or unmet goals,” Olson explains. He adds that touching a particular area of the body can reliably bring back the pattern associated with a traumatic event.
Some believe that trauma and difficult emotions can become “stuck” as energy within the body, though this theory lacks scientific backing. Bradley Nelson, DC, author of The Emotion Code, argues that trapped emotional vibrations cause surrounding tissues to resonate at the same frequency, which he believes can lead to blockages. According to Nelson, “Each trapped emotion resides in a specific location in the body, vibrating at its own particular frequency,” potentially attracting more of that emotion.
Emotional processing primarily occurs in the limbic system of the brain. We constantly absorb information, which triggers pre-conscious autonomic nervous system responses that activate corresponding emotions. Essentially, your “feelings” stem from signals your nervous system sends.
Nelson suggests that when the natural processing of emotions is interrupted, the energy of those emotions becomes trapped in the body. This could manifest as muscle tension, pain, or other physical ailments.
Olson explains that “trapped emotions” often indicate that the true self desires to express something that the false self suppresses. In psychological terms, the true self is the part of us that is naturally open, curious, and trusting, while the false self develops as a coping mechanism for pain and loss.
Mind-body therapist Kelly Vincent, PsyD, likens trapped emotions to carrying a heavy backpack. It weighs us down, affects our mood, and drains our energy. Vincent notes that this emotional burden can also damage body tissues and disrupt the normal functions of organs and glands, comparing it to a roadblock that hinders the natural flow of energy.
Trauma can also interfere with cognitive processes, particularly memory processing and the ability to recall factual information, known as explicit memory. When a traumatic event occurs, the brain may encode the memory as images or body sensations rather than logging it correctly. When triggered, this can lead to dissociation or flashbacks, where the brain disconnects from reality or replays the traumatic event.
These sensory fragments can disrupt the brain’s natural recovery process, causing unresolved trauma to persist long after the original event. This is often seen in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition that develops after experiencing terrifying or life-threatening events.
Research has shown that people with PTSD often have a smaller hippocampus, a brain region involved in emotions and memory. Prolonged stress releases cortisol, a hormone that is part of the fight-flight-freeze response, which can damage the hippocampus, leading to abnormal blood flow or reduced size. Consequently, the body may remain in a hypervigilant state even when the traumatic event is not consciously being thought about.
Unresolved emotions may become stored in the unconscious mind and can even influence body posture. As Olson points out, “Your head is in a different position when you’re confident and when you’re confused. Your spine takes on a different shape when you’re defeated or victorious.” Muscle tension can emerge to create and maintain postures that protect you from unpleasant feelings.
Certain postures and gestures are also associated with specific emotions and social meanings. For instance, a warm embrace conveys something very different from crossed arms. This might explain why some believe that tension in the body is linked to particular areas, but Olson cautions against using this to create generalized narratives. He warns that relying on such lists can limit self-exploration.
How to Release Emotions from the Body
Have you ever felt the need to cry, scream, laugh, punch a pillow, or dance it out? We are often taught to suppress our pain and keep going, but over time, this can lead to repressed emotions, also known as unconscious avoidance. A 2019 study found a connection between emotional repression and decreased immune system function.
Here are some ways to release repressed emotions:
- Acknowledge Your Feelings: The more you understand your emotional world, the better you can process your feelings in healthy ways. Connecting with and understanding your emotions is the first step. For those who struggle to identify their emotions, talking to a mental health professional can be valuable.
- Work Through Trauma: Addressing and processing past trauma is essential for emotional release.
- Try Shadow Work: This practice involves exploring the unconscious aspects of yourself that you typically avoid.
- Make Intentional Movement: Physical activities like dancing, yoga, or even walking can help release stored emotions.
- Practice Stillness: Meditation and mindfulness can provide a space to connect with and process your emotions.
By acknowledging and working through your emotions, you can begin to release the emotional baggage that may be weighing you down.
Source: Healthline