Technalink understands that for some people, events can generate such an extreme, negative emotional reaction that it leaves a permanent “residue.” This is sometimes called an “emotional wound,” and it can continue to negatively impact a person’s day-to-day living experience for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, just because people have sustained emotional wounds, that doesn’t mean they have to resign themselves to living with them.
Causes Of Emotional Wounds
Emotional wounds are a type of psychological pain or suffering, typically caused by a severe negative experience, or a series of them, that reinforce the wounding. The most common types of emotional wounds are those derived from emotions like:
Abandonment
When love and trust in someone are present, and that person unexpectedly leaves, it can result in emotional wounds stemming from feelings of abandonment. In some cases, abandonment may not even be caused by physical absence; emotional absence, such as being physically present but withholding interactions, can be enough to trigger this.
Betrayal
One of the deepest emotional wounds a person can experience is betrayal, when someone in whom trust has been placed abuses that trust, often with negative consequences. Breaking promises, lying, and many other actions taken against a person can all result in feelings of betrayal that can become a permanent emotional wound.
Injustice
One of the most common forms of emotional wounds is when a person has been victimized by injustice. This is, in one sense, an ideological form of betrayal, where the belief in a fair world or equitable system is taken away as people witness or experience abuses of justice that go unanswered.
The Results
Emotional wounds, unlike physical wounds, can be difficult to properly assess and overcome, and are not guaranteed to get better with the simple passage of time. In some cases, emotional wounds can become a new aspect of a person’s personality, affecting their perceptions and actions in the world.
Emotional wounds can result in personality traits such as:
• A compulsive need to cling to others for those with abandonment issues.
• A difficulty in trusting others and expecting they will turn on you for those with betrayal issues
• A compulsive need for perfectionism from those who have experienced injustice.
And many more. The nature of emotional wounds, their symptoms, and their consequences vary widely from individual to individual. Much of this is dependent on both the person and the experience. The age of an emotional wound may also play a role in its severity, as some traumatic experiences in childhood can create lifelong emotional wounds, though this can easily happen in adult life as well.
Growth & Healing
Whether an emotional wound is a recent experience or a deep-rooted element stemming from childhood or adolescence, it is never too late to overcome it. As expected, however, healing emotional wounds is not fast or easy. Healing emotional wounds requires intention, commitment, effort, and time. All of these are possible, but they must be used in the right way.
For some, options may include seeking professional guidance; for many, even taking smaller steps, such as learning to meditate, can make a critical difference in beginning the journey of healing. It’s important for people to find a pace and a way that are feasible, comfortable, and, most important of all, safe for them. Everyone has a unique journey toward healing their emotional wounds, and success only comes from taking the time to find the steps and directions that are right for them.
This is where a personal exploration of the healing and meditation process, such as finding a use for mala prayer beads, can be essential for people walking their own path toward healing emotional wounds.
Leave a Reply