Emotional Problems on Single Parents

John D. (Jack) Mayer says, “Emotions operate on many levels.  They have a physical aspect as well as a psychological aspect.  Emotions bridge thought, feeling, and action – they operate in every part of a person, they affect many aspects of a person, and the person affects many aspects of the emotions.”

Different people define emotions in different ways. Well, emotions are powerful. It can affect your physical and psychological bodies. Emotions can control your thinking, behavior and actions. Some people sometimes ignore their emotions are setting up themselves into physical iilness. Negative emotions like sadness and frustration can cause chemical reactions that are very different in chemical reactions released by positive emotions like happy and accepted.

Speaking of emotions; for most people, becoming a single parent was not their choice. Therefore it is hard for them to cope with their sudden emotions that thay're are going through as they go along being a single parent.

Researching about this matter gave me a hard time looking for an article and as I continued finding articles patiently; luckily, I have one. An article about Emotional rescue - coping with emotions as a single parent which tackles about some emotional issues single parents and tips on how to grow through them. 

Some of the emotional issues are:

1.  Anger

         According to the article, anger is the most confusing human emotions, and can be most dangerous too.  When we are angry, we feel our hearts beat faster and our body reacts differently and sometimes uncontrollably. It can arise due to any number of factors e.g. (threats and frustrations). Apart from that, it also states that "when anger takes hold and left untamed, we can become irrational, even dangerous. But when we kept in check, anger will help us deal with the situations we face."

So, here are some tips given in the article in order to help lessen anger because you might hurt yourself if can't handle it well.

   1. Acknowledge and accept your anger

   2. Identify the reason - am I feeing hurt, frustrated or 

       threatened?

   3. Take steps to deal with the cause or get help to talk about it

   4. Decide on a strategy to stay in control for when your anger 

       is triggered

   5. Find a ‘safe’ outlet for your anger such as ‘kneading’ bread or 

       smashing glass jars at the bottle bank

   6. Talk to a trusted friend or get some counselling

   7. When you are ready, forgive the people who hurt you.

2.  Rejection

          Rejection happens to us all. In school, house, and even workplace; it happens. The pain of rejection can take in many different forms and it is difficult for us to accept such rejections we experienced.

Here are some steps to help in coping with rejection as what the article has given:

  1. Not everyone will treat you like the person who hurt you

  2. Look at the situation: it could be that what you are saying/

      doing is what is being rejected, not you!

  3. Healing is possible, and you can move on to greater, deeper 

       friendships.

3.   Loneliness

          The article states that "loneliness is a condition where we can only depend on ourselves for strength or mental nourishment. It's a period when we may be completely alone or, although we are with others, we may feel alienated from them and unable to share our unique experiences with any other perso at that specific moment. Rejection and loneliness often go hand in hand." 

Lonely parenting is a difficult task to do because we only one parent is raising his/her child/children. It also states there that loneliness is not just an absence of people, though sometimes we desperately want to be with others because we want to be loved and to have a sense of belonging. Well, friends and family do make such difference and help; however, it is not always enough.

Strategies to cope up with loneliness:

  1. Get involved in someone else’s life - visit a friend or invite 

      one round. Include sharing meals together.

  2. Take up a hobby, like bread-making - which is good for 

      kneading out aggressive feelings!

  3. Don’t run from your problems through using drugs, 

      alcohol, overeating or oversleeping. These can have a 

      harmful affect on your recovery process.

  4. Cultivate a positive mental attitude: be optimistic; 

      appreciate yourself; love yourself.

  5. Learn to trust again.

Emotions also plays a vital part in single parenting because how can a single parent can have the capability of raising his/her child/children better, if he/she cannot handle her emotions and feelings in a specific situation.