Understanding Your Body's Emotional Language
Did you know your body might be feeling emotions before your mind knows about them? Groundbreaking research in affective neuroscience by Dr. Jaak Panksepp shows we have seven basic emotional systems that can operate below our conscious awareness, especially when impacted by trauma.
Your body tells the story through various signals:
Your heart rate and blood pressure might spike during FEAR or RAGE
Your breathing pattern could shift during PANIC/GRIEF
Your muscle tension might increase during RAGE
Your skin conductance could change during SEEKING
Your body temperature might shift during CARE or LUST
Your movement patterns could indicate PLAY
When trauma impacts our ability to recognize emotions, these physical signals become even more important. They're like your body's emotional morse code, sending messages about feelings you might not consciously recognize. This is valuable because core emotions tell you how to adapt to life in order to best survive and grow.
New wearable technology is making it possible to track these bodily signals, potentially helping us reconnect with emotions we've learned to suppress. While this technology is still developing, it offers exciting possibilities for understanding our deeper emotional experiences.
Remember: Your body always knows. Learning to listen to these physical signals can be a powerful part of healing.
References:
Panksepp, J. (1998). Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions
Panksepp, J., & Biven, L. (2012). The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotions