How to Overcome Emotional Spirals: Healing with Faith and Emotional Awareness

Discover how to overcome emotional spirals through faith, emotional awareness, and healing rooted in God’s truth.

The medical staff had finished their rounds for the night, and I was alone in the quiet, sterile atmosphere of the neurological intensive care unit. My thoughts were filled with the scary words the doctors shared a few hours before: “You had a vertebral artery dissection, and you’re lucky to be alive.”

How I Got Here

Up to that point, I would have said this forty-­two-­year-­old mom of four young kids had a pretty good handle on things.

Yes, I stayed up too late—­sleeping only four hours a night for twelve years straight.

Yes, I had a child with special needs and had taken on the bulk of his care (and that of his three younger siblings) since we had no family nearby to help.

Yes, I homeschooled my four kids while working full-­time from home.

Yes, my husband had been out of work for over a year, and we’d been scraping the bottom of the barrel to feed our kids while considering a move out of state in order to survive financially.

I’d been suppressing all kinds of emotions in regard to these issues for a long time. But as an exhausted mom trying to hold it together for her family, I felt like I had neither the time, the skills, nor the luxury to address any of them. There was always a task to complete and someone who needed my help.

Until I couldn’t. Until I found myself flat on my back in a hospital ICU room with an unexpected, life-­threatening condition that left me unable to take care of myself or anyone else.

Until I found myself sitting alone in the quiet without any buffer between me, my emotions, and God.

The doctors had no medical explanation for why the arterial dissections took place, but in my heart, I knew. I knew that my poor self-­care choices and ongoing emotional stress had finally caused my body to break down, and in the quiet, I heard God confirm those suspicions.

I Needed to Tackle My Emotional Spirals

I was concerned about the physical damage I’d done to myself, but frankly, I was more terrified about how to address the underlying issues that had gotten me there in the first place.

I knew that I needed more than just self-­care hacks. I needed to determine and address the emotions behind the toxic behaviors that got me there. That meant finally facing some deep-­rooted pain and heart-­wrenching truths, which would perhaps be more excruciating than my physical recovery.

How Are We Managing (or Avoiding) Emotions?

I don’t share my story for dramatic intrigue but to make a statement. I understand how paralyzing it can feel to even think about working through complicated, devastating emotions.

I also want to shout from the rooftops that running from what’s inside will eventually catch up to us. We cannot outrun or hide away from the emotional effects of both the highly traumatic events and everyday drama of our lives. We must learn how to confidently work through our emotions with compassion for ourselves, clarity from God’s Word, and courage to respond in a Christ-­honoring manner.

Our brain is designed to keep us in a perceived state of safety by keeping things familiar, and this plays well with our desire to avoid uncomfortable feelings.However, the reality is that even if we don’t all end up flat on our back for nine months recovering from a life-­threatening injury like I did, our mind, our physical body, and our soul are suffering right now if we’re not managing negative emotions well.

Understanding Emotional Awareness

Let’s consider three questions women tend to ask in order to cope as well as the effect unprocessed emotions have on our relationships, our health, our confidence, and our spiritual well-­being.

1. Prayer helps to release emotions, but do we pray for the wrong reasons?

2. Staying busy can hide emotions, but at what cost?

3. Staying positive temporarily boosts moods, but what about long-­term shame when happiness eludes us?

Not only can learning to manage emotions improve relationships with others and aid social connection but the ability to regulate emotions well is associated with greater well-­being, increased financial success, and higher socioeconomic status. Truly, learning to manage our emotions can improve our lives in so many ways!

Reflection:

Are there any emotions you’ve been running from that you need to turn and face?  Which of the three questions stood out most to you as a way you are running from your emotions? Make today the day you commit to facing them and bringing them to God.

If you liked this post, check out the book Emotional Confidence: 3 Simple Steps to Manage Emotions with Science and Scriptureby Alicia Michelle. With helpful exercises, client stories, scientific evidence, and heartfelt honesty, this book overflows with practical ways to partner with God to manage your emotions for better relationships, less anxiety, and a more confident you.

Alicia Michelle, ACC, CPLC, is an ICF-certified Christian life coach and NeuroCoach, a popular conference speaker, and multi-award-winning podcast host of the top-ranked The Christian Mindset Coach with Alicia Michelle. Through her coaching and courses Alicia has equipped thousands of women with practical brain-and-biblically-based tools to better manage emotions and to break free from perfectionism and people-pleasing in order to cultivate Christ-centered confidence. She loves to travel, paint, and enjoy life with her beloved husband, four kids, and three dogs. Learn more and download free resources at VibrantChristianLiving.com.