Why is it so hard to express my feelings?

6 Reasons You May Have Difficulty Expressing Emotions

There are plenty of reasons that may explain why it’s so hard for you to open up. Here are just a few to consider. 

1. You haven’t identified the cause of your emotions. When one has difficulty expressing their emotions it might be because they don’t have a clear understanding of the situation that is eliciting those emotions to begin with. Sometimes, the cause of your feelings may be very obvious. For example, if somebody lies to you, you might feel angry upon discovering the lie. But oftentimes, complex emotions can be the result of unclear scenarios. Maybe, for example, someone has been making you feel bad about yourself over a number of years with small comments here and there. The result of that could be a strong emotion that you have difficulty putting into words because you are unable to pinpoint an exact moment that caused you to feel such a powerful feeling. When you are unsure of what has caused your emotions, you might feel confused about your feelings or be unable to describe them. 
2. You don’t know exactly how you feel. “For example, you may feel hurt, but it’s helpful to be more precise. Ask yourself if you’re experiencing feelings such as sadness, rejection, disrespect, or shame. Clarifying your feelings helps you connect with yourself, the values you have, and those you wish to live by. Similarly, stating your specific feelings increases the likelihood of being understood by others.”
3. You feel that you’re the only one who has such feelings. “Regardless of how different you feel from other people, remember that feelings are a part of being human. You are not alone.”
4. You have an inner dialogue that tells you it’s weak to express feelings. “Many of us have grown up with the message that expressing our feelings makes us weak—when, in fact, it empowers us. Those who suggested it is weak may have been fearful of accessing their own feelings.”
5. You may not be sure which feelings to trust. “Some of our feelings are influenced by our own knee-jerk conclusions or expectations regarding an event. So, yes, it may help to take a moment to pause before sharing all of your feelings.”
6. You don’t have someone you feel comfortable opening up to. If you don’t have a close friend, family member, or therapist that you feel you feel you can confide in, you may simply not have practice opening up and sharing your feelings. Keeping things inside for a long time can cause feelings to fester and can sometimes make it even harder to talk about them, It may feel overwhelming to express your feelings if you never really have before. 

7 Tips for Opening Up

Once you’ve explored why you have such a hard time opening up, you can work on doing so more effectively and confidently. Here are a few tips, which will prove to help you feel more comfortable about expressing your feelings:

1. Be clear about your desire to share your feelings. Golden says you should ask yourself why you want to share your feelings in the first place. Identify the cause and then move forward with doing so: “It’s in your interest to be clear regarding your reasons and expectations whether sharing with a therapist, friend, or a loved one. Also, be aware if you are expecting the person to change just based on your sharing your feelings. Are you sharing to vent? Might you want advice? Or, are you sharing for self-exploration?”
2. Acknowledge sharing feelings as a form of intimacy. It will also help to acknowledge before going into the conversation with a partner that sharing feelings is intimate—therefore, the comfort we do or don’t feel in doing so, relies on past experiences. “Our openness to share feelings is very much influenced by our past history of trust—trust in others and trust in ourselves,” Golden explains. “As such, be aware of any tendency to avoid sharing feelings with your significant other. However, by not sharing important feelings, you will inevitably feel more isolated in the relationship.”
3. Start small. Golden also says it will pay off to start small. If you feel discomfort in discussing your feelings, don’t dive in head first—ease in, instead. “If you’ve had difficulty expressing feelings you may want to first experiment by sharing those that are least uncomfortable to share,” he says.
4. Begin with the people you trust most. Another effective tip is to start by talking to the people you trust most: a best friend, a sibling, a parent. “Begin by expressing your feelings with individuals whom you trust. Begin with someone who appears comfortable with their own feelings, rather than with someone who takes flight from them,” Golden says.
5. Be mindful of the experience. Also, be mindful of your experience so that you can make the next one even better. “Be aware of what you experience following your sharing,” Golden says. “What part felt comfortable? Did it make you more likely to share the next time? If not, what do you need to feel more comfortable in sharing your feelings?”
6. Practice self-compassion. Being kind to yourself can make a big difference when it comes to expressing feelings. Know that it is hard to open up, but doing so does not represent weakness. On the contrary, opening up can take an incredible amount of strength. Approach your emotions with self-compassion, reminding yourself that it’s okay to feel vulnerable. By treating yourself with the same understanding you would offer a friend, you’ll be in a better, safer emotional space to express yourself.
7. Remember that keeping your feelings bottled up inside doesn’t do any good. “Acknowledging our feelings increases our capacity for empathy. It’s important to remember that suppressing, minimizing, or denying our feelings makes us less available to recognize them in others,” Golden explains. “By contrast, recognizing and acknowledging our pain is a form of empathy for our own suffering. This awareness heightens our capacity for empathy with others.”

Final Thoughts

Many people struggle to communicate their emotions, and it’s often because they don’t have the tools to express themselves clearly. By understanding why you can’t express your emotions and acknowledging the underlying causes, you can begin to take steps toward opening up. Whether it’s practicing self-compassion, starting small, or identifying trusted friends or loved ones to confide in, the journey toward emotional expression can require some patience and practice. If you find it hard to express your feelings and don’t have a friend or loved one to talk to, a therapist can help.