If you feel like there are times when your emotions quickly escalate and spin out of control, it may also feel like there's nothing you can do about it. Perhaps others have told you that you are "overreacting" to situations that typically do not evoke such intense feelings. But being told by others to "calm down" feels dismissive to you, and it invalidates your strong emotions.
I have sat with patients who tell me, " I hate these medications," and then, in the same breath, admit, " I am terrified of what happens if I stop them." Others describe a crushing sense of hopelessness, yet they still show up faithfully, week after week. These apparent contradictions are not signs of confusion or weakness. They are, in fact, the essence of being human.