Does labeling your emotions reduce their intensity?
I've been in therapy for two years now, and one thing I've learned is that labeling your emotions—like saying 'I feel anxious' out loud—really does reduce their intensity. Brain scans show less amygdala activity when you name the feeling, and I've experienced it myself: putting words to the chaos calms me down. So I'm convinced that most people underestimate how much emotional awareness, not suppression, helps with mental health.