“Never apologize for being sensitive or emotional. It’s a sign that you have a big heart, and that you aren’t afraid to let others see it. Showing and embracing your emotions is a sign of strength.”
A very thought-provoking line made me retrace those comments which called females weak for being expressive and vocal about their feelings and emotions. This line also gives a different perspective of strength. This line proves that embracing your emotions is a sign of your strength, not your weakness
Often we associate the term “strength” with men
In our society, men are the ones who conceal their emotions. We teach our sons the moment they cry – “You are a boy and boys don’t cry!” Our society is one that has more privileges for men but the same society curtails a man’s right to express the basic emotions that are universal and gender-less.
Indeed, we do understand the societal norms and expectations which we are brought up with. Emotions vary based on gender but that doesn’t mean men shouldn’t be expressive. This reminds me of the lines, of Sir Sigmund Freud, who quotes
“Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.”
We know the power of emotions, they can do miracles!
We tend to perceive and see things from the eyes of our emotions. Our response to any situation is determined based on our emotional state. Both men and women have adopted different means to express their emotions which are generally led by the society and the culture they live in. However, the basic emotions that we strongly feel are – Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Happiness they are universal and both men and women feel these emotions in the same manner.
The expression of these emotions has been captivated because our society sets a guideline of acceptance. Happiness is universal and viewed in a positive light. Whereas women are permissible to fear and expression of sadness and vulnerability and on the other hand, men are just supposed to express their anger a state of mind which is highly regarded as the symbol of manhood. We don’t acknowledge that embracing your emotions is a sign of your strength.
Mental illnesses in women
We tend to speak about various emotional constraints women suffer from. We have statistics to indicate that women are highly prone to depression in comparison to their male counterparts. The reason behind these outcomes is that most men don’t showcase sadness how it’s supposed to be expressed. The anger tends to take over instead. The dependency on chemicals and substances is another means of hiding the emotions of fear and sadness. That’s why we don’t have data supporting the issues of emotions among men which directly reflects the damage that society has caused to an individual’s state of mind by imposing these unhealthy doses of manhood.
We expect men to take over the roles of the hero who never fails and associate them with strength
Who would be able to fight all the adversities without defeat or set back? Well, this is what is running in the families and households in and around us. The psychoanalytical theory also upholds the significance of taking over gender roles. Men who fail to express their emotions around us today have somewhere led by such examples from their fathers, grandfather, and uncles. Nerveless from the society which uploads and propagates this thought. And yes of course adapt the coping mechanism. We tend to see men working overtime and tend to remain busy to avoid any emotional encounters. Withdrawing from family and friends and tend to live in isolation. Spending more time away from home. Consuming alcohol and behaving more recklessly. These are very common ways men adapt to adversities.
How this affects home-life
Men aren’t able to openly show their love towards their children which is somewhere masked behind their strict and serious faces. They tend to avoid affection-filled gestures like hugging their children or extending a helping hand in household chores. But we are glad somewhere men of today’s time have tried breaking this stereotype-led attitude. Of course, this isn’t sufficient though. There are still so many out there who aren’t able to come out of this sinking bondage.
Requirement for self-acceptance
There is a requirement for self-acceptance and acknowledgement of one’s emotional state. It can be experienced in different forms may be in terms of sadness, anxiety, or fear. Ask yourself what you feel when you are undergoing a state of anger? Is it anger or something underlying the same? Learn to express your state of emotions and try to put it across in words. Identifying and expressing emotions takes time and patience but choose the right people to showcase your vulnerability. Do not be hesitant to approach or encourage your loved ones to seek professional help.
Lines to conclude, ” men and women experience emotions equally however expression could be different and the intensity is completely based on individual personality. Learn to feel and understand the same. It’s essential to embrace one vulnerability and treat it right. Embracing your emotions is a sign of your strength”
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