Interesting Psychology Team
8) Overreacting to situations
Since emotional reasoning can make us feel like our emotions are valid and justified, it can also lead to overreacting. If your feelings tell you that a situation is dangerous, emotional reasoning may push you to act impulsively.
When emotions are telling you one thing and reality is telling you another, your feelings may win out in a fight with reason—and that’s never a good idea. To avoid overreacting to situations, remember that emotional reasoning doesn’t mean your feelings are always accurate or justified; often times they aren’t.
It’s important to consider different perspectives (like yours) and other facts before making decisions based on your emotions alone.
9) Labeling your emotions with simple words like good or bad
Anytime you label an emotion as good or bad without any other explanation, it’s a sign that you rely too much on emotional reasoning.
In many situations, it can be helpful to recognize your feelings; for example, having anxiety about a public speaking engagement could help you focus and prepare. But in other situations, labeling your emotions in such a way is problematic because it limits your perspective and what you can do about a situation.
When negative feelings overwhelm you and get in the way of decision-making, it might be time to take a step back from them.
10) Labeling people as good or bad based on their actions toward you
When someone does something that makes you feel bad, you may think about how they are a terrible person. When someone does something that makes you feel good, you may think about how they are a great person.
This is emotional reasoning and it can negatively impact your relationships with others. Instead of assuming that someone is a certain way because they’ve treated you in a certain way, try to understand why they acted in a certain way by asking yourself what their intentions were.
If something good happens, do not simply assume that it was because of something good within yourself; instead, be thankful for receiving kindness from another person.
