Catharsis is defined as the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, especially through certain kinds of art, as tragedy or music. Mental health clinicians help clients use catharsis for mental health benefits, and catharsis can be experienced clinically by simply having a safe place to “sound off” and purge troubling thoughts and emotions. Amazingly, there is great therapeutic value when it comes to cathartic expression, and many people each day feel better about life after talking through their thoughts with a professional (or friend), creating art, or simply writing down all of their intrusive thoughts. Why exactly catharsis works may never be known, but what we do know is that when humans “lighten their load” by means of catharsis, it allows for a mental reset that results in better overall mental health.
Examples of cathartic expression
Perhaps surprisingly, something as simple as talking is a great example of catharsis, especially when you are able to speak freely, openly, and honestly, and the person you are talking with is trustworthy and unconditionally accepting. Getting things off your chest, be it to a clinical therapist or close friend, can lead to new discoveries and/or simply leave you feeling refreshed that you no longer have to carry around those thoughts anymore. Why walk around with an annoying pebble in your shoe when you can take off your shoe and dump the pebble?? While talking might be the easiest example of catharsis, there are many additional ways that humans experience catharsis, including the following:
- Art. Painting, drawing, and sculpting are three quick examples of art that everyone can do, even without a lot of talent.
- Theater. Attending or participating in theater allows for emotional expression, thereby creating healthy catharsis.
- Physical activities. Gardening, jogging, swimming, and even cleaning up around the house can be examples of ways to gain relief from negative emotions.
- Music. Creating and/or attending musical performances are great ways to gain emotional relief.
- Movies. Observing others overcome great odds, or manage emotions after experiencing great distress, are examples of how we can benefit from catharsis by means of movies.
- Journaling/writing. Journaling personal thoughts is a great way to purge unwanted emotions, as is creating your own stories about real or fictitious characters.
As you can see catharsis can be experienced through a number of different activities, providing for unique ways that each of us can move through our emotions to get to healthier places in our lives. But what happens when we do not unload negative thoughts and emotions? In other words, what risks are there (mentally and physically) to allow feeling sot build up without ever being released?
The danger in allowing emotions to build up
My professional clinical experience has shown me time and time again that when we are unable to experience cathartic expression, thoughts often build up to an eventual breaking point of some kind. Often this overflow of thoughts and emotions results in displaced aggression — like when we are hostile toward a loved one, even though they have nothing to do with the cause of our frustration. Often when I lecture on mental health and the value of catharsis, the example I use is shaking a champagne bottle and how eventually enough pressure builds to where BAM! The cork flies off the bottle! Similarly, humans walk around with mounting energy all the time, and when this energy doesn’t have a place to go it can emerge in unexpected and unwanted situations and circumstances.
While we might not all have access to a mental health clinician, or even a family member or friend willing to listen to us, we can take things into our own hands and self-audit our emotions and need for catharsis by means of activities we can do alone, like punching a heavy bag or painting a new picture. The key is to understand the value of catharsis, especially with respect to the control we have in engaging in healthy, cathartic behaviors.
Final thoughts
Cathartic expression can be one of the most powerful and effective ways to purge unwanted thoughts and emotions, and by doing so almost immediately begin feeling a sense of relief. Catharsis also allows us to properly direct our emotions in healthy ways, compared to displacing our emotions in negative ways toward our family, friends, and loved ones. Why wait for the champagne bottle to pop when you can get rid of negative energy safely and on a regular basis? Improve your mental health by means of cathartic expression, and begin living your best life by means of less stress and more personal happiness.
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