Ninth Exercise: Observing and Describing Emotions

“A fundamental skill in DBT is understanding your emotions in all their multidimensional glory by Observing and Describing them using the Full Model of Emotions.”

This exercise asks me to fill out the sheet below –

1)   Emotion name

2)   Prompting event

3)   Interpretations

4)   Vulnerability factors

5)   Body sensations

6)   Action urges

7)   Behaviors

8)   Expressions

9)   Aftereffects

And here is my filled-out sheet –

1)   Emotion name - WORRY

 I had to look this up because to me worry is a state, not an emotion. Which led me on to finding a piece of research which has identified 27 distinct emotions.  The article is here –

https://news.berkeley.edu/2017/09/06/27-emotions/

I feel as if I’m avoiding the task so I’ll re-focus.

2)   Prompting event Recent redundancy. The novelty of not having a job is wearing off, and it’s been replaced by feelings of agitation. I have an impending interview too.

3)   Interpretations This is where I look at any assumptions I have about my redundant state. It’s not that I feel negative about it, but I am worried about how long it will go on for.  I’m getting anxious about whether I’ll be able to sustain my mood and energy levels for an indefinite amount of time without much coming in from the outside. And yet, there’s an opportunity here - to write, study,  and exercise more. I feel a pressure (a good one, probably) to make use of this hiatus.

4)   Vulnerability factors Well, I’ve realised that too much time thinking about when I’ll get a job, and how I’ll keep myself occupied may not be the best thing for me. After all, I’ve got the whole day, with no structure unless I impose one, to fill with my anxieties. I’m better with a simple plan  (short-term goals) alongside some calm job-seeking.  Taming my job worries (which I fear could get out of control at any time) looks a bit like this –

1)   Body sensations For me, it’s all about agitation and restlessness.

2)   Action urges. Here I have to consider what I feel like doing. Well, if the worry gets circular, I want to express it to someone – in a text, a conversation or in therapy.

3)   Behaviors Given no job, my worries are ongoing, but they don’t always get in the way. Yesterday was a bad day, and I felt I couldn’t really settle to anything. There was a lot of pacing.

4)   Expressions No idea.

5)   Aftereffects  Not really sure. I certainly didn’t harm anyone with my agitation. I had a better than usual therapy session later that day and speaking about how closed in I felt helped. You’d assume it would, of course, but then later I  was able to direct some energy into starting a new course (on project management). And even look at other courses so that I can make the best use of my break from business as usual.