Not only physical, but also emotional detoxification makes sense! Check out what it is in the lines below.
We all know what it is body detoxification, while the expression emotional detox still unknown. It's about cleaning out the toxic feelings we harbor inside, which can help improve mental health. Feeling overwhelmed with thoughts? Or are you completely out of control emotionally, easily upset by even the most innocent situations? Perhaps you feel detached or struggle with a childhood trauma that still affects your life and patterns to this day? It's time for an emotional detox!
What is an emotional detox?
Emotional detoxification is the elimination of emotions that directly interfere with optimal maintenance of mental health and affect our physical health. Although there are no quick fixes when it comes to processing patterns from the past or releasing the trauma, stress and burnout that we carry with us from day to day, emotional detoxification is most welcome. With the following tips, it will be easier to get started:
1. Be honest with yourself
Consider what may be causing your mental or emotional discomfort or tension. The first step to healing is recognition, as this begins to address the problem at its source.
2. The heart and mind are connected to the body
Although there are differences between physical and emotional detoxification, there is one characteristic that is inextricably linked to both – eating healthy and nutritious foods and exercising. Therefore, before starting emotional detoxification, clean up your eating habits. You may decide to start slowly by eliminating carbonated drinks from your diet or limiting your intake of sugars and salt. You can also decide to make more drastic dietary changes, but it is important that you feel good about it and educate yourself about it.
3. Make a plan
It is recommended that you set realistic and practical goals that take into account your daily responsibilities and non-negotiable obligations. This can also be a great time to start identifying and thinking about what might be causing your stress or strain so you can tailor your plan to your specific needs.
4. Be present
As hard as it is for some of us to not let our minds wander to the many tasks we have to do or the day's event, it's important to stay present. In the present. Focused on your plan during detox.
5. Social media
As you create your plan, you may find that social media is a trigger for you, as it is for many others, so taking a break from those years during an emotional detox is very helpful. The constant observation of the lives of others and the inevitable comparisons can eventually have a significant impact on our mental and emotional well-being.
6. Ask for help
Identify the people in your life that you trust and don't shy away from them when you need their help. The same goes for talking to a mental health professional. We've all needed someone in our lives at some point. There is no shame in asking for help.
7. Forgive yourself and others
Many of us hold grudges against ourselves and others, which can slowly eat away at our mental and emotional health. If this sounds vaguely familiar, give yourself some grace. Realize that we all make mistakes. This does not mean that you should not hold yourself and others responsible, or that you should maintain relationships with those who have caused you extreme pain. Forgiving yourself and others is the practice of acknowledging the upset, processing those emotions, and establishing a sense where you can accept whatever happened, make peace with it, and release it.
