Why Dialogue is Key to Overcoming Emotional Struggles

Dialogue has always been the center of human interactions, yet it has also been the hardest thing to do—especially if we are talking about opening up and sharing feelings. Why dialogue is key to overcoming emotional struggles lies in its ability to release suppressed emotions, allowing us to confront and process them. Holding on to these feelings, especially those that have been suppressed for a long time, can affect us in a negative way, which can ultimately take a toll on our mental health.

It is actually heartbreaking to know that, according to the World Health Organization, someone takes their own life every 40 seconds. What worse is that I found that mental issues have skyrocketed over the past two years, specifically for people aged 11 to 17, who now faced the highest suicide rates. When I researched on this further, I found that 11% of the 6,407 students, who are just starting their lives, had thought about suicide in the past year, according to a study conducted by the Institute of Mental Health at Bach Mai Hospital. It’s deeply saddening and sometimes if you think about it, the solution seems simple, yet complicated enough to do. It is not that easy to open up about your struggles, let alone these thoughts for fear of judgements and ridicule.

I have seen these situations get even worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oftentimes, those who succumb to these measures are those who have been bottling up their pent-up emotions for so long, that the isolation brought by the pandemic made it worse. This is where I realized how important it is to maintain consistent dialogues with the people around you as this can pave the way for emotional release and healing.

However, it is without a doubt that speaking up about what you feel, especially those emotions that you have kept inside for a long time, can be scary and uncomfortable. To ease this process by opening up to someone, you may want to consider the following approaches, which I have collated for you:

Open Up to Those Who you Trust the Most.

This is a dead giveaway. Before even thinking about opening up your feelings, you must ensure that the person you are opening up to is someone who you trust the most—your safe space. This should be that person who sits down with you and listens without any judgment. Through this, you will be able to share anything to them, allowing you to share more than what you initially plan on sharing.

Find the Right Time and Place.

Even in dialogues, especially sensitive ones, it’s location, location, location. This is true as finding an environment and the time of day that makes you feel comfortable is the best scenario to open up. Choose a place that you feel familiar with, something that you find peaceful to you—a place free of distractions—like a secluded park, your go-to cozy café, or the most comfortable one, your bedroom. It’s also great that when you begin to open up, you are present in the situation and not distracted by your mobile phones as this is very important in having a good dialogue for opening up.

Holding on to emotions, especially during difficult times, can weigh heavily on our mental health. Opening up through dialogue can be a vital step in navigating life’s toughest moments and finding clarity.

Do not Hesitate and Just Let Go.

I know that we all know that “no man is really an island” and facing challenges alone is tough. So when these situations pop up, we must not hesitate to reach out to our friends and family for guidance and advice or get that most-needed hug.

Some think that asking for help during tough situations is a sign of weakness, but it is actually the opposite, it’s an act of courage. Opening up something that you feel will expose you requires strength and courage, so this is not frowned upon.

If we think we need help, just do it; let go and reach out to those who can offer us the support that we badly need—a simple dialogue with someone can go a long way.

If Opening up to Someone is Daunting. Express it Through Art or Writing.

Nothing beats expressing your feelings in other forms, like writing or drawing, even music, especially if you are that someone who is just not the type to open up. Before I used to be this someone and I found peace and comfort in writing my thoughts down in a journal, complete with reflection statements, which helped me settle my emotions.

Try to also write yourself a letter and become your own guide. These can help release pent-up emotions and motivate you as you go along in writing. Sometimes when we write, we realize what we need to do about it—the more we progress and make it to the end of the paper, the clearer we see things.