# Connected to My Emotions Through a Straw



## thebirdman (Apr 5, 2014)

I have learned through counselling that I am "connected to my emotions through a very tiny straw." For those that don't know what that is like, imagine feeling almost nothing all the time except for an occasional rare flood of emotion (i.e. anger) that you can identify. I feel like I am under a mild state of stress about 90% of the time. To me that feels normal. I have experienced this state since I was a kid due, I'm told, mostly to my rough upbringing. 
My facial expression is not a good indicator as to how I'm feeling as the look on my face and what's on my mind often do not line up. 


Who else has experienced this kind of condition? Where you able to gain control of it? If so, what did you do?


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## john117 (May 20, 2013)

Truly non emotional people aren't all that common. Emotions are an integral part of who we are.

Having said that, you may be in one of many different boats:

- indifferent to many emotions (not recognizing the proper emotions)
- agnostic by choice to many emotions
- repressing "normal" and being in this hypervigilant state (as you indicated)
- not recognizing the transitions from one emotional state to another
- projecting different emotions as a self defense (that's me)
- and so on

This would be worthwhile to explore in counseling. People don't always know what their emotions are telling them.


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