As human beings, we are often prone to repeating the same behaviours or coping mechanisms. Such patterns can explain why we experience strong emotional reactions in specific scenarios.
To share a personal example, someone who is close to me lives with OCD. So when I hear the commonly used phrase ‘a little bit OCD’, I have a strong instinctual reaction. This comes from my personal experience and the knowledge that someone’s propensity for tidiness is not the same as the often highly distressing symptoms that come with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
I also don’t have a great poker face - so it was only when a previous colleague noticed me grimacing and checked in that I was able to articulate the strength of my feelings.
Whilst I still get the emotional response when I hear the phrase, being more aware of it means I can choose to respond in a way that’s appropriate to the situation, which has led to some constructive conversations as opposed to a ‘freeze’ response and ‘emotional leakage’.
When you experience an unexpected emotional reaction, it might be worth asking whether the situation reminds you of anything you’ve encountered previously. By becoming more aware of our patterns and where we might be projecting our experience onto others, we give ourselves the freedom to choose a different response.