Breaking The Cycle: How Trapped Emotions Shape Your Mind and Body
- Laura Schwartz
- Aug 18
- 3 min read
Emotions are not just fleeting feelings. They are powerful chemical and neurological responses in the brain and body. When you experience an emotion, your brain releases a cascade of neurotransmitters and hormones that prepare you to respond. For example, fear activates the amygdala, which triggers a surge of adrenaline and cortisol to ready the body for fight, flight, or freeze. Joy, on the other hand, activates the reward circuits in the brain, releasing dopamine and oxytocin.
Normally, emotions rise, move through the body, and resolve once the experience is over. But when a situation is overwhelming or traumatic, the body and brain may not fully process the emotional charge. Instead, the intensity of that moment can become “stored” in the nervous system. This is why people sometimes describe emotions as feeling stuck or lodged in the body. In psychological terms, these are unresolved emotional memories linked with neural pathways that have not been integrated.
When an old emotion is trapped, new situations that resemble the original event can act as triggers. The brain does not distinguish between past and present in these moments. It simply reacts as if the original danger or pain is happening again. This explains why a small comment, tone of voice, or even a particular setting can suddenly flood a person with anxiety, anger, or grief. The nervous system is replaying the old response rather than responding to what is actually happening.
If these trapped emotions remain unaddressed, they create repeating patterns. Each time the brain is triggered, it strengthens the original neural pathway, reinforcing the cycle of stress, fear, or disempowerment. Over time, this can affect both mental and physical health. Chronic activation of stress hormones is linked with inflammation, lowered immunity, digestive issues, and sleep disruption. On the psychological level, it may show up as ongoing anxiety, difficulty regulating mood, or feeling powerless in certain areas of life.
The good news is that the brain and body are designed for change. Through awareness, emotional processing, and practices that rewire neural pathways, it is possible to release trapped emotions and create new patterns. Techniques such as mindfulness, somatic work, cognitive reframing, and intentional behavior change can help the nervous system complete the cycles it once froze in place. Over time, this allows the brain to respond from the present moment instead of replaying the past.
When emotions are acknowledged and integrated, triggers lose their power. Instead of repeating old cycles, you begin building resilience and flexibility in your responses. This shift not only reduces stress and anxiety but also supports your overall physical health and sense of empowerment.
PRACTICAL CHECKLIST FOR RELEASING TRAPPED EMOTIONS:
Notice your triggers. Pay attention to moments when your reaction feels bigger than the situation.
Pause and breathe. Create space between the trigger and your response.
Tune into the body. Ask yourself where you feel the emotion physically.
Name the emotion. Simply identifying it helps engage the thinking brain.
Allow expression. tapping, Journaling, movement, breathwork or safe conversation can help release energy.
Reframe the story. Challenge old beliefs tied to the emotion and replace them with more empowering ones like "I am resilient" or "I am enough."
Practice regularly. Repetition strengthens new neural pathways and makes calm responses more automatic.
If you would like support releasing trapped emotional energy, click the booking page on this website.
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