Affect labeling—the act of naming one’s emotional state—helps blunt the immediate impact of negative feelings and begin the process of reducing stress.
In a small study* of 30 subjects, researchers conducted a series of brain-imaging experiments in which participants were shown frightening faces and asked to choose a word that described the emotion on display. Labeling the fear-inducing object appeared to:
- Reduce activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain in which the fight or flight reflex originates
- Increased activity in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, which is associated with vigilance and symbolic processing.
- The brain’s perception of the images shifted from objects of fear to subjects of scrutiny.
- Experientially, the fact that there is a name for what you’re going through means that other people have experienced it as well, which makes an overwhelming emotion feel less isolating.
How to “Affect label”
The next time painful or stressful feelings threaten to overwhelm you, here is what you do:
- Write down a word(s) that best describes the emotion you’re experiencing. It doesn’t have to be comprehensive. Just a word or two will do
- Admit that a situation is painful or uncomfortable.
- Recognize that pain and discomfort are universal elements of the human experience.
- Stress chemistry takes 15 – 20 minutes to metabolize from your cells. Do something active to speed up the process – take a walk, stretch, clean, garden . . .
30 seconds . . . as long as you don’t count the 15 minutes of moving.
*The University of California, Los Angeles. Study led by psychology professor Matthew Lieberman,
MAXyourMIND 
How about breathing? Peopla, inhale exhale!
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Pearl,
I thought breathing was optional?
j.
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