Live, love and laugh: Study reveals why you shouldn’t hide positive emotions

The display of emotion evokes a particular kind of raw vulnerability. Emotions are integral to both intrapersonal and interpersonal interactions, substantially refining how we see ourselves and the world around us. It’s healthy to express ourselves without any inhibitions. But sometimes, due to cultural and social reasons, emotions are controlled and shielded. A study conducted in the United States and Taiwan and published in Affective Science elaborates on how this suppression of outward displays of emotion is harmful to overall wellbeing.

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Raw emotions

Emotions are the polar opposite of cold logic, which follows a strict, predictable pattern. Emotions, however, are erratic and random, revealing the deepest and most vulnerable parts of people. So, naturally, it feels like second nature to hide emotions; whether it’s boys avoiding sensitivity for fear of being emasculated, or girls setting aside their true feelings for fear of being labelled as too dramatic. Emotions always attract labels.

Similarly, happy emotions get villainised too. There’s probably an old childhood saying with various cultural iterations; “Don’t laugh too much; you will end up crying later.” It is a way to curb happy, excited, and sweet positive emotions. However, research shows that hiding positive emotions, in particular, keeps you from being true to yourself and lowers your overall wellbeing.

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Hiding positive emotions is more harmful

The researchers conducted elaborate, cross-cultural studies in both the USA and Taiwan. They found that people were inclined to hide negative emotions like sadness and anger more than positive emotions like happiness and excitement. However, this is where it gets interesting. When people suppress positive emotions, it’s more likely to affect them. It’s connected to overall lower wellbeing such as self-esteem and confidence . And since the studies were conducted in Taiwan and the United States and showed similar results, this is likely to be universal across various cultures. Suppressing positive emotion leads to poor life satisfaction, happiness, and lacking the feeling of fulfilment.

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