Repressing Emotions Is a Risk Factor for Liver Disease

Emotional repression harms our physical health

Denying or repressing emotions which are culturally biased, such as fear, sadness or rage, won’t make them disappear. No matter how much dirt you throw on them, they will remain. When we repress emotions, denying their free expression, the effect of expression and movement which is inhibited is instead channeled within ourselves.

Thus, for example, when we repress rage or fear, that muscular tension should be experienced in the outward-facing muscles. These muscles intervene in the typical fight or flight response. Instead, this tension is redirected within. That tension is then transferred to the internal muscles.

In the long run, the tension that accompanies emotions, which was repressed, ends up expressing itself in other forms. Such as, for example, contractions or muscular rigidity, neck and back aches, gastric illnesses, headaches and even liver diseases.

Emotions which are trapped inside a person seek their own resolution and expression. This forms part of the nature of emotions, because they are made to be felt and expressed.

Controlling your emotions is a somewhat illusory experience in certain circumstances. Also, its achievements are very deceptive. A very precarious balance is maintained behind the facade of “control” that the individual constructs. Since attempting to maintain control will only accomplish a transitory transformation of the extreme behavior. Sooner or later, the repressed emotions are going to need to come out.