By Phil Watt
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
At some stage of our lives we all experience emotional dysfunction to various degrees, especially when we’re maturing. In many cases it is a part of the learning curve as we grow into our more developed selves. Simple examples are that we might dwell on a problem too long, get upset or angry too easily, view life pessimistically or think self-abusive thoughts consistently.
There are many negative thought patterns and feelings that we can get caught up in. If they are a temporary experience then there is no real harm done – in fact we may have learned something about ourselves and others through the experience. It’s when these thoughts and emotions become a permanent characteristic of our daily lives that they become self-harming. In these cases, poor emotional regulation might impact us more significantly and even result in a mental disorder.
