Emotional Hijacking: What It Means And How To Overcome It

Have you ever heard of the term emotional hijacking? Well, today we are going to talk about what it means and define emotional hijacking, so that it’s easier for you to understand, in case this happens to you.

Emotional hijacking is the term used for what happens when someone’s ability to think rationally becomes overpowered by their emotions. It is most commonly experienced when people lash out aggressively or become intensely fearful.

It is an intense emotional outburst triggered by what could even be innocent or innocuous.

Emotional hijacking isn’t something that just happens spontaneously. It is usually past events and experiences that an individual finds disturbing that keeps being internalized.

If that person keeps facing those problems, there is a point where the stress becomes too much to manage.

This can result in the instinctive, emotional part of the brain taking over – hijacking the rational part and the result is an explosion of extreme and intense emotions.

Related: 5 Signs Your Anxiety Hijacked Your Intuition (And How To Get It Back)

It is instant and in the case of an angry outburst can be quite destructive. If it is something that keeps happening it can have a negative effect on relationships as well as leave an impression of being emotionally unstable and unpredictable.

The mood swings can affect the mental health of not only the individual but also the people around them, People may fear doing or saying anything that triggers an outburst.

Emotional hijacking isn’t a pleasant experience. Not only for the person being hijacked but for those around them as well. There are different ways to help address emotional hijacking.

Emotional hijacking

How To Cope With Emotional Hijacking?

A trained therapist can help people to learn to respond rather than react to the triggers. The therapy can also provide a space to explore and challenge the unhelpful emotion provoking thoughts.

Counselling can help explore what lies behind and triggers the outbursts. It can help exploring better ways to communicate thoughts and feelings more appropriately before it becomes an avalanche of intense terror or rage.

Counselling can help with taking ownership of yourself and look at how our actions affect our relationships with others. Building resilience and mindfulness exercises can also help reduce the intensity and frequency of the outbursts.


Written By Darren Magee
Originally Appeared On Sentient Counselling
define emotional hijacking

— Share —

,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

Unsocial Media: The Real Effects Of Screen Time

Unsocial Media The Real Effects Of More Screen Time

Is social media making us less social in real life? Discover the true effects of screen time on face-to-face connections and overall well-being.

Loss of real-life interaction hampers social development.

Key points

A significant amount of real-life social interaction seems essential for the development of emotional and personal skills.

Research suggests that today’s youth has about half the exposure to critical real-life social interaction that pre-internet generations did.

Trends in poor social development among young people suggest the need for urgent attention and specific strategies to enhanc

Up Next

When Grandparents’ Love Goes Sour: 8 Signs Of Toxic Grandparents And How To Survive Them

Signs Of Toxic Grandparents

Have you ever noticed certain behaviors that make you wonder if your grandparents’ love might be a little… off? Spotting the signs of toxic grandparents can be tough, especially when society paints them as the ultimate source of unconditional love and support.

But sometimes, grandparents might cross boundaries, show favoritism, or create a stressful environment that doesn’t quite feel right. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about their behavior, you’re not alone.

In this article, we’ll dive into the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of toxic grandparents and give you some strategies regarding how to deal with toxic grandparents, without causing family drama.

First, let us try to understand what are toxic grandparents.

Up Next

How a Person with Bipolar Disorder Thinks: 10 Things That Cross Their Mind

How a Person with Bipolar Disorder Thinks

Ever wondered how a person with bipolar disorder thinks? Living with bipolar disorder is often a constant ride of highs and lows, not just in mood but also in thoughts.

One moment, someone might feel invincible, brimming with ideas and energy; the next, they may feel crushed by sadness or anxiety, weighed down by self-doubt and exhaustion.

Understanding how a person with bipolar disorder thinks can help you understand better what they might be going through. Today, we’ll dive into what is bipolar disorder, followed by 10 thoughts that often cross the minds of those who live with it.

Let’s start with what is bipolar disorder.

Related:

Up Next

9 Unusual Signs of Low Intelligence That Will Surprise You

Indicators of Low Intelligence That Will Surprise You

When we talk about intelligence, most of us picture sharp-witted people solving puzzles or doing complex math. But the signs of low intelligence can be just as telling, and they show up in ways you might not expect.

A low IQ person often exhibit certain behaviors or attitudes that make them stand out. Whether it’s their inability to adapt or their rigid thinking, these subtle low IQ symptoms say a lot.

Today, we are going to do a deep dive into the 9 unusual signs of low intelligence that might surprise you—because intelligence isn’t just about getting straight A’s.

Related:

Up Next

How Sleep affects Your Mental Health

The quality and amount of sleep play a huge role in the mental health and mood of an individual.

Even just one night of inadequate sleep can heighten one’s stress level. Constant lack of sleep and chronic sleep deprivation can alter a person’s disposition and may even lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. In fact, a lot of research is now establishing links between insomnia and depression and how the two can interchangeably affect each other.

Sleep and mental health are broad and complex topics that still need further research to be able to fully grasp and comprehend well about them. All the same, the more we dig deeper w

Up Next

A Letter For Those Who Don’t Understand Chronic Illness

A Letter for those who don’t understand chronic illness.

Dear people who don’t understand autoimmune disease or Chronic Illness:

I know people that have an autoimmune disease and chronic illness. They seem fine on the outside, but that’s what they want you to see because they have a fear of being judged and misunderstood.

However, in reality, people that deal with these issues may be people who are dealing with diet restrictions. Perhaps they have to go to many doctors to deal with managing pain. They may not be able to do the things that we take for granted.

I personally believe if you have an autoimmune disease, or any other chronic ill

Up Next

Unlocking The Pain Of The Past: 10 Signs Of Repressed Childhood Trauma In Adults

Ever find yourself reacting strongly to situations and not quite sure why? Either you hear echoes of your past, or it’s probably because you listen to your inner child. In this article, we’re delving into the signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults – those subtle whispers from your younger self that can shape your present.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});