In psychology, talking about emotional distancing can also mean talking about emotional obstruction, with a double meaning. On the one hand, it consists of the inability to connect with others on an emotional level. On the other hand, it is a useful method to face a problem.
This tactic of copingalso known as coping Focused on emotions, it is used to avoid specific circumstances that could trigger an anxiety process such as, for example, the separation of emotional unions. In this Psychology-Online article we will focus precisely on this meaning of emotional distancing: what it is, techniques to achieve it and the advantages related to this psychological process.
What is emotional distancing
Emotional distancing is a inability or a reluctance to connect emotionally with other people. For some individuals, being emotionally detached helps protect them from unwanted drama, anxiety, or stress. For others, however, distancing is not always voluntary, except as a result of events that make the person unable to be open and honest about their own emotions.
Emotional distancing can be helpful if used specifically, setting boundaries with certain people or groups, but it can also be harmful when left unchecked. This last case, known as emotional octundion, is generally a symptom or problem that should be addressed by a mental health doctor.
Emotional distancing techniques
Emotional distancing in psychology can be put into practice using different methods. Next, we will show you the main emotional distancing techniques:
Find the way to manage emotions
Each personality has its own peculiarities. Therefore, it is important that each one starts from a inner self-analysis process to understand the basic motivations that drive you to behave in a certain way. This is a starting point for healthy emotional distancing. Consequently, a process of complete acceptance of oneself and one’s own emotions will be reached. In this article you will discover.
The second step to detach yourself from your emotions and successfully achieve emotional distancing is learn to express them in the most useful way, perhaps alone, writing them down to assimilate them, looking for distractions or playing sports.
Dedicate yourself
Reflecting and spending time on yourself, trying to see things with an external eye, is necessary to put emotional distance between your partner or family. Learn how much you can tolerate by others and the outside world. There are no pre-established rules, each person decides according to their sensitivity.
Practice emotional distancing
The human mind is a mixture of rationality and emotionality, as dialectical behavioral therapy is committed to deepening. Thus, one of the techniques of emotional distancing lies in the willingness to appeal to the conscious part of the brain itself, even during an overwhelming emotion, and seek balance between the rational mind and the emotional mind.
Achieving that level of awareness and emotional distancing is useful for carving out a space for someone, but without getting too carried away with it. Next, we will show you different ways to exercise emotional distancing:
- Sightseeing.
- Focus on the present.
- Take your own ideas as hypotheses dictated by the moment and not as absolute truths.
- Carry out .
- Maintain adequate oxygen supply.
- Focus on body balance.
- It helps the physical, but above all the psyche, in the process of emotional detachment.
- Perform bioenergetics exercises that act on emotional detachment.
Advantages of emotional distancing
Too often life drags us down, preventing us from savoring the moment, being in the present and being aware of what is happening. Therefore, developing a healthy emotional distance becomes essential.
- makes you freer: If you can “put space” between you and what is happening outside, and even inside you, you will be truly free. The alternative is simply to be a slave to yourself, that is, to your character, your history, your fears or what you have been, but too often you have not chosen to be.
- Allows you to regain the power to determine your life. How many times have you told yourself that if you had done something differently things would have turned out differently? Imagine if in those important moments you had had the time and lucidity to reflect and be able to listen clearly to the many instances within you. Emotional distancing allows you to choose with full confidence and responsibility.
- Frees you from dependent emotional states: In this way, you will be able to achieve balance and inner serenity. Don’t let your happiness be in the hands of others or something else outside of yourself. Remember that you can be happy for yourself. In this article you will find more information about .
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Emotional distancing: what it is, techniques and advantageswe recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
- Gamba, E. (2018). Emotive distance and consapevolezza. Retrieved from: https://www.enricogamba.org/psicologo-milano-blog/distacco-emotivo-e-consapevolezza
- Ludovici, M. (2021). Three strategies to manage the emotional distance and stare meglio. Retrieved from: https://www.robadadonne.it/225575/distacco-emotivo-benefici-3-strategie/