How We Can Start to Digest Our Emotions
It may seem strange that our emotions impact the digestive process, however, more research coming out supports how emotional stress impacts the function of our intestines leading to gastrointestinal issues. To put it simply: when our stress response becomes activated, our body needs to reserve the energy and resources it has to manage that situation by suppressing our digestion. About a decade ago, I started to experience chronic gut pain and was frustrated that I could not identify the source of my pain. The discomfort I experienced being present with my pain led me to pursue distractions in the form of overindulgence in media, food, and company, which never sufficed. As Gabor Maté phrases it so eloquently, “it’s hard to get enough of something that almost works.”
I realised that what I desired was immaterial; a feeling of connection.
My tendency for avoidance through distractions meant that I had to forego certain habits to better care for myself. The initial decision I made to abstain from alcohol was the first insight I had into better understanding what fuelled my tendency to disconnect. It gave the space to sit with and feel the waves of emotions, slowly integrating them and drawing wisdom from those experiences. Understanding what they were trying to tell me, and then taking action to do exactly that brought a greater sense of self-acceptance. Now, with sobriety being my new ‘normal’, I am mindful of how I can find new ways to distract myself, such as not prioritising exercise or eating well, when I am going through a difficult time.
I have to remind myself when I feel impatient that enduring emotional discomfort is an investment and worthwhile pursuit when it comes to our health… because the reality is that when we do not prioritise our wellness, we have had to make time for illness. I understand the hesitation with letting emotions arise and run their course, but understand that you will feel more unsettled before the experience becomes freeing.
When it comes emotional digestion, these simple principles continue to help me feel grounded within myself:
Dedicate your attention to one activity, such as listening to music or a podcast without multitasking. You may notice a feeling of restlessness that comes up when this happens. Let go of any internal pressure you may be placing on yourself to do anything other than what you are doing in that exact moment. Tune into how your body feels as you listen.
Refrain from making meaning out of every feeling that arises and try to stay present to embody the felt sensation of your emotional experience. Holding space for our pain, without judgement, is something we are so great at doing for others but forget to gift to ourselves.
When thoughts come through your mind, invite them as you would a friend into your home without forcing them out. Using willpower to try and avoid those thoughts not only makes them come back stronger, but it sends a message to yourself that you do not trust yourself to process your emotions. This will take patience and practice, so remember to be kind to yourself in the process.
When your body speaks to you in the form of pain, take the opportunity to listen and even respond (if you feel comfortable doing do). Ask what it needs and tend to what it is asking of you - to eat, move, rest, whatever it needs at that point in time. Building that safety within yourself will help you to feel more connected to and responsive to what you need.
And lastly… remember to breathe. The act of bringing awareness to the breath, as commonly practiced in Yoga, allows you to access the highest wisdom of the moment. Through relaxed observation, it allows you to feel more connected to what you know to be true and align your actions to live in accordance to what you truly desire.
Once we begin to tune into our own wisdom, we can observe a shift in how we approach our work, relationships, routine, and even the food we consume… and when we are better able to digest our life experiences, our gut will certainly thank us for it!
If you are curious to delve deeper into some of the concepts I wrote about, the learnings I drew from the following books were incredibly insightful:
The Yoga of Eating: Transcending Diets and Dogma to Nourish the Natural Self (2003) by Charles Eisenstein
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (2014) by Bessel van der Kolk
The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture (2022) by Gabor Maté & Daniel Maté
Please note that these statements are simply opinions based on personal experience. Anything I share on this blog is to be used only as a view point of one individual. Never is anything written here on this blog to be taken as medical advice or substituted for any type of healthcare advice given under the care of a qualified mental health care professional.
