It is important to be emotionally regulated for our mental well-being. However, there are times when we are so concerned about being in control of our emotions, that it can make us feel overwhelmed. “Overregulation in emotional health or habits involves an excessive or rigid control over your emotions, often to the detriment of personal well-being and relationships. It’s important to note that emotional regulation is generally positive and necessary for mental well-being. However, overregulation becomes problematic when it results in an inability to adapt, connect authentically with others, or experience the full spectrum of emotions,” wrote Therapist Israa Nasir.

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“Striking a balance by allowing for authentic emotional expression while maintaining healthy coping mechanisms is crucial for emotional well-being,” the expert further added.

Signs that we are emotionally over-regulated

Constant suppression: We constantly keep denying the way we feel – be it anger or sadness or frustration. We constantly try to pretend that we are happy and emotionally regulated.

Fear of emotional imperfection: we have a deep fear of making mistakes and appearing imperfect. The thought of being judged by others as someone imperfect makes us feel constantly anxious and stressed.

Limited, rigid coping strategies: We always rely on a rigid set of coping mechanisms, having struggle adapting to changing scenarios.

Lack of playfulness: The thought of constant judgement can make us rigid – this robs us of the joy of being playful, creative and spontaneous. We struggle in adversity and have a difficult time adjusting to other mechanisms for adapting.

Harsh self-judgement: We have a harsh inner critic in us, who is constantly judging us for every action that we take. This further makes us feel underconfident and hence we lose trust in our own abilities.

Difficulty bouncing back: Emotionally over-regulated people face difficulties in bouncing back from adversities and recovering from challenging situations.