How Words Change Our Emotional Experiences: The Role of Language in Emotion Regulation

Have you ever noticed how just putting a label on your emotions can help you regulate them?

Recent studies show that simply identifying and labeling your emotional experiences can have a profound impact on your emotional regulation. Here, we explore the findings of a comprehensive meta-analysis of the neuroimaging literature that examines the impact of emotion words on the neural representation of emotional experiences and perceptions across studies. Simply said, how using specific words to describe emotions can affect how they are represented in the brain, and therefore our experience if the emotion!

In a study from 2017, a database of 386 studies was used to assess how emotion words (such as "anger" and "disgust") and general affect words (such as "pleasant" and "unpleasant") affected brain activity. The results were fascinating: when emotion words were present, there were more frequent activations in regions related to semantic processing, while the absence of accessible emotion concepts led to ambiguous meaning of affective experiences and perceptions.

So what does this mean? When people used emotional words in their descriptions, it activated areas of the brain associated with understanding language. However, when they didn't have words to describe their emotions, it made it difficult to understand what they were feeling.

These results indicate that our ability to understand emotions depends on having a clear understanding of different emotions. It also shows that naming and identifying our emotions, known as "affect labeling," plays an important role in regulating our emotions. Additionally, the study found that general affect words (such as "pleasant" or "unpleasant") did not have the same effect on the brain's representation of emotions as specific emotion words (such as "anger" or "disgust").

This highlights the importance of being emotionally eloquent. If the words we use to describe our experiences have a physiological –and therefore also – an emotional impact, we must learn to choose our descriptive words wisely!

This is particularly relevant to those who struggle with regulating their emotions, or individuals who may experience intense emotions. Fortunately, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers a solution.

DBT is a form of therapy that was originally created for individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and is well-known for teaching emotion regulation skills. One of the key components of DBT is extensive training on observing, labeling, and being non-judgmental towards emotions. By identifying and labelling their emotional experiences, individuals can learn to regulate their emotions more effectively. People who practice Dialectical Behavioural Therapy skills daily know that the deceivingly simple act of placing a word to an emotion is often the first step in relieving the emotional experience.

For example, imagine a person who is feeling overwhelmed by intense emotions and is swept up in the chaotic wave of emotional suffering. Without the ability to label their emotions, they may feel confused and powerless. However, by identifying their emotions as "anger" or "anxiety," they can gain a greater understanding of what they are experiencing and learn strategies to manage those emotions.

In conclusion, the words we use to describe our emotions can have a profound impact on our emotional experiences. The findings of the 2017 meta-analysis suggest that identifying and labelling our emotional experiences can help regulate our emotions more effectively. For individuals struggling with their emotions, DBT's emphasis on emotion regulation skills, including observing, labeling, and being non-judgmental towards emotions, can be incredibly helpful.

If you're interested in learning more about how words can change your emotional experiences and how DBT can help, book a free consultation today.

Don't let your emotions control you – take control of your emotions with DBT.

REFERENCES:

Brooks, J. A., Shablack, H., Gendron, M., Satpute, A. B., Parrish, M. H., & Lindquist, K. A. (2017). The role of language in the experience and perception of emotion: a neuroimaging meta-analysis. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 12(2), 169–183. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsw121