Have you ever heard of the term ‘mood freeze’? Well, most of us know what it feels like, only that we never knew that particular emotion or feeling was called mood freeze.
According to various psychology websites, mood freezing is a term derived from an experiment conducted in 1984. The subjects of this research study were deliberately annoyed and given a placebo pill that was supposed to not let mood change happen.
A placebo pill is commonly used in psychological experiments. This pill does not usually affect the subject. It is like a ‘dummy’ pill, where it supposedly creates the effect meant for the experiment. In simpler words, the subject is convinced by the researchers that he/she is having an issue and hence the placebo pill is given, to make him/her ‘feel better’. Later on, the subject says that he/she is feeling better.
The truth is that the pill did not have any effect on the subject. It was the true power of the mind that allowed him/her to feel better. So, what does this mean for the concept of ‘catharsis’?
It means to provide you with a temporary relief from strong, suppressed emotions by releasing it all out through conversations, or by writing and so on.
As I read more articles on this topic, I realized that venting my emotions was a wrong way to make myself feel better. In fact, it is capable of doing more damage than good, and I truly realize now why I had been struggling to form connections all my life. Some people have been understanding enough. Some haven’t. Emotional ventilation is only a short term respite for all the emotional aches you are going through. It, in the long term, can make you a chronic emotional ventilator, damage your relationships, emotionally dependant on other people. In fact, it can only enhance your aggression levels.
The main benefit of this mood freezing concept is that you will not have to regret any stuff that you may have blurted out accidently, when you were emotionally high.
So, it is all about training your mind, especially in its conscious state. It is only a proof that we have it in us to break free from the shackles of emotional chains. Stay safe, stay happy, you all?.