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Obviously, some people are very effective in this process. There is
no known research evaluating the procedure, however. An unlikely but
possible danger is that unwanted emotions, such as anxiety, will be
seen as helpful and, thus, reinforced in the process. If that happens,
anxiety might reoccur with greater frequency.
Additional Methods for Changing Emotions
Distractions and/or exercise
One of the most common strategies (and more useful) for
controlling an emotion is to avoid paying attention to the feelings and
the situation associated with the unwanted feelings. People resist
temptations in a very simple way: by avoiding thinking about or
attending to the temptations. Anger and depression are reduced by
thinking about something else: read a good book, watch an interesting
movie, etc. Keep in mind, this doesn't "cure" the problem, it just
avoids it. That may be all you need to do.
Even eating and drinking (college favorites) can help you get out of
a bad mood. Exercise, playing with the kids, doing nice things for
yourself, and trying some self-improvement are all effective mood-
changers.
Exercise
The evidence grows that physical exercise is good for you.
Primitive living conditions and evolution have produced a human body
designed to walk, run, lift, throw, breathe hard, etc, etc. This isn't just
some PE teacher's opinion; sound physiological/medical research at
Duke, Texas A&M and other places concludes: "if you are over-worked,
stressed out and discouraged, take a walk, jog, swim, go rock climbing
or canoeing..." In fact, researchers have found that aerobic exercises
reduce stress better than relaxation techniques (Anshel, 1996). Not
only is exercise recommended for stress but also for depression,
anger, low self-esteem and, in general, for better mental health.
Naturally, it is important for heart and general physical health too. So,
get started!
That is the rub--getting started. Mentally decide on a specific time
to start--select a convenient time, preferably a time that is almost
always open on your schedule. The idea is to make exercising a
regular habit, something you do at the same time of day at least three
times a week--or better, every day. One of the crucial moments is
starting the first day, i.e. do everything you can to make sure that
moment is carried out...think about it the previous night, set an alarm
if it is in the morning or put reminders around if it is during the day. It
would be best if you got a friend to go with you or to call and remind
you...if nothing else you can make a public commitment to other
