Before You Kill Yourself: a suicide prevention podcast. Hilary Jacobs Hendel: It's Not Always Depression
Jun 24, 2019
Hilary Jacobs Hendel, a licensed clinical social worker and author of "It's Not Always Depression," explores the nuances of emotions in mental health. She delves into how shame can masquerade as depression and the importance of understanding core and defensive emotions. Hilary also emphasizes the value of addressing both positive and negative feelings authentically and shares techniques to regulate emotions through breathwork and the Change Triangle model. Discover how to manage childhood trauma and conflicting emotions for better well-being.
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Depression Often Hides Other Emotions
- Many people label varied suffering as "depression" when unprocessed shame and other emotions are the cause.
- Hilary Jacobs Hendel reframes emotional pain as life responses shaped by childhood and culture, not only biochemical illness.
Core Emotions Are Action Tendencies
- Core emotions are innate action programs that push energy up for expression like anger, sadness, fear, disgust, joy, excitement, and sexual excitement.
- Recognizing bodily sensations tied to each core emotion helps decode what the feeling wants you to do.
Inhibitory Emotions Push Feelings Down
- Inhibitory emotions (anxiety, guilt, shame) push core emotions down to keep social bonds.
- Small amounts of these are adaptive, but childhood linking of emotion-to-danger creates toxic suppression.
