By Ms. Paige Abbott, Registered Psychologist

Often people struggle to answer the question ‘How are you feeling?’ This could be for a variety of reasons, but often it is because people were not introduced to the language of feelings or learned how to express their feelings as children. Addiction, Mental Health, and Chronic Pain can also complicate this picture, as even people who are fairly well connected to their feelings initially may notice a decline in their ability to identify and express emotions as their condition worsens. Therefore, part of the healthy recovery process for all of these conditions is to reconnect with feelings.

To distinguish, emotions are being constantly generated at the unconscious level throughout our days. Everything we do comes with an emotional reaction, but we may not be aware of it. Feelings are the emotions that we can connect with and, therefore, express or process. Therefore, recovery is about being able to move unconscious emotions to the conscious feelings level. Sometimes just doing this (becoming aware) is enough to feel relief but other times additional action may be required, such as: talking to others, journalling, expressing creatively how you are feeling (e.g., drawing, painting, writing poetry), meditation, prayer, or other ways you have personally found to process your feelings.

If you are having a tough time getting started with identifying your emotions, here is a list that I would recommend you consult whenever you ask yourself ‘How am I feeling?’

• Happy
• Fear
• Joy
• Content
• Frustration
• Irritable
• Love
• Peace
• Greed
• Lust
• Jealousy
• Affection
• Loss
• Ignorant
• Envy
• Shame
• Grief
• Stupid
• Satisfied
• Vengeful
• Anger
• Useless
• Worried
• Claustrophobic
• Sadness
• Wasteful
• Prideful
• Trapped
• Depressed
• Achieved
• Empathy
• Abnormal
• Anxious
• Interested
• Ecstasy
• Unusual
• Stress
• Eager
• Judgmental
• Amused
• Overwhelmed
• Virtuous
• Compassion
• Abandoned
• Confused
• Worried
• Equanimity
• Searching
• Tense
• Helpless
• Relieved
• Seeking
• Scared
• Ambitious
• Balanced
• Euphoric
• Desiring
• Cynical
• Guilty
• Restless
• Craving
• Threatened
• Fulfilled
• Bewildered
• Empty
• Generous
• Weak
• Centred
• Blue
• Lonely
• Energized
• Whole
• Cheerful
• Satisfied
• Giddy
• Fragmented
• Fatigue
• Gentle
• Tired
• Broken
• Surrender
• Fragile
• Delight
• Aware
• Hope
• Careful
• Pleasure
• Spiritual
• Faith
• Distracted
• Rejected
• Egotistic
• Confident
• Disappointed
• Relief
• Small
• Cautious
• Dissatisfied
• Pressure
• Inspired
• Hesitant
• Apathy
• Controlled
• Alert
• Strong
• Sorry
• Controlling
• Astounded
• Nurturing
• Forgiving
• Inauthentic
• Awe
• Caring
• Resentment
• Deprived
• Foolish
• Comfortable
• Disgust
• Discomfort
• Glad
• Stuffed
• Playful
• High
• Glee
• Authentic
• Lost
• Connected
• Bored
• Disenchanted
• Frazzled
• Manipulated
• Tired
• Kind
• Aroused
• Flat
• Childish
• Grace
• Terrified
• Deceived
• Valued
• Placid
• Rage
• Betrayed
• Ambivalent
• Calm
• Numb
• Forced
• Engaged
• Attentive
• Nervous
• Coerced
• Betrayed
• Aware
• Silly
• Victim
• Pity
• Aggressive
• Hostile
• Regret
• Adamant
• Bitchy
• Competitive
• Hopeless
• Lazy
• Destructive
• Isolated
• Pain
• Panicked
• Deceitful
• Precarious
• Shy
• Solemn
• Cruel
• Vulnerable
• Troubled
• PleasedHappy
• Fear
• Joy
• Content
• Frustration
• Irritable
• Love
• Peace
• Greed
• Lust
• Jealousy
• Affection
• Loss
• Ignorant
• Envy
• Shame
• Grief
• Stupid
• Satisfied
• Vengeful
• Anger
• Useless
• Worried
• Claustrophobic
• Sadness
• Wasteful
• Prideful
• Trapped
• Depressed
• Achieved
• Empathy
• Abnormal
• Anxious
• Interested
• Ecstasy
• Unusual
• Stress
• Eager
• Judgmental
• Amused
• Overwhelmed
• Virtuous
• Compassion
• Abandoned
• Confused
• Worried
• Equanimity
• Searching
• Tense
• Helpless
• Relieved
• Seeking
• Scared
• Ambitious
• Balanced
• Euphoric
• Desiring
• Cynical
• Guilty
• Restless
• Craving
• Threatened
• Fulfilled
• Bewildered
• Empty
• Generous
• Weak
• Centred
• Blue
• Lonely
• Energized
• Whole
• Cheerful
• Satisfied
• Giddy
• Fragmented
• Fatigue
• Gentle
• Tired
• Broken
• Surrender
• Fragile
• Delight
• Aware
• Hope
• Careful
• Pleasure
• Spiritual
• Faith
• Distracted
• Rejected
• Egotistic
• Confident
• Disappointed
• Relief
• Small
• Cautious
• Dissatisfied
• Pressure
• Inspired
• Hesitant
• Apathy
• Controlled
• Alert
• Strong
• Sorry
• Controlling
• Astounded
• Nurturing
• Forgiving
• Inauthentic
• Awe
• Caring
• Resentment
• Deprived
• Foolish
• Comfortable
• Disgust
• Discomfort
• Glad
• Stuffed
• Playful
• High
• Glee
• Authentic
• Lost
• Connected
• Bored
• Disenchanted
• Frazzled
• Manipulated
• Tired
• Kind
• Aroused
• Flat
• Childish
• Grace
• Terrified
• Deceived
• Valued
• Placid
• Rage
• Betrayed
• Ambivalent
• Calm
• Numb
• Forced
• Engaged
• Attentive
• Nervous
• Coerced
• Betrayed
• Aware
• Silly
• Victim
• Pity
• Aggressive
• Hostile
• Regret
• Adamant
• Bitchy
• Competitive
• Hopeless
• Lazy
• Destructive
• Isolated
• Pain
• Panicked
• Deceitful
• Precarious
• Shy
• Solemn
• Cruel
• Vulnerable
• Troubled
• PleasedHappy
• Fear
• Joy
• Content
• Frustration
• Irritable
• Love
• Peace
• Greed
• Lust
• Jealousy
• Affection
• Loss
• Ignorant
• Envy
• Shame
• Grief
• Stupid
• Satisfied
• Vengeful
• Anger
• Useless
• Worried
• Claustrophobic
• Sadness
• Wasteful
• Prideful
• Trapped
• Depressed
• Achieved
• Empathy
• Abnormal
• Anxious
• Interested
• Ecstasy
• Unusual
• Stress
• Eager
• Judgmental
• Amused
• Overwhelmed
• Virtuous
• Compassion
• Abandoned
• Confused
• Worried
• Equanimity
• Searching
• Tense
• Helpless
• Relieved
• Seeking
• Scared
• Ambitious
• Balanced
• Euphoric
• Desiring
• Cynical
• Guilty
• Restless
• Craving
• Threatened
• Fulfilled
• Bewildered
• Empty
• Generous
• Weak
• Centred
• Blue
• Lonely
• Energized
• Whole
• Cheerful
• Satisfied
• Giddy
• Fragmented
• Fatigue
• Gentle
• Tired
• Broken
• Surrender
• Fragile
• Delight
• Aware
• Hope
• Careful
• Pleasure
• Spiritual
• Faith
• Distracted
• Rejected
• Egotistic
• Confident
• Disappointed
• Relief
• Small
• Cautious
• Dissatisfied
• Pressure
• Inspired
• Hesitant
• Apathy
• Controlled
• Alert
• Strong
• Sorry
• Controlling
• Astounded
• Nurturing
• Forgiving
• Inauthentic
• Awe
• Caring
• Resentment
• Deprived
• Foolish
• Comfortable
• Disgust
• Discomfort
• Glad
• Stuffed
• Playful
• High
• Glee
• Authentic
• Lost
• Connected
• Bored
• Disenchanted
• Frazzled
• Manipulated
• Tired
• Kind
• Aroused
• Flat
• Childish
• Grace
• Terrified
• Deceived
• Valued
• Placid
• Rage
• Betrayed
• Ambivalent
• Calm
• Numb
• Forced
• Engaged
• Attentive
• Nervous
• Coerced
• Betrayed
• Aware
• Silly
• Victim
• Pity
• Aggressive
• Hostile
• Regret
• Adamant
• Bitchy
• Competitive
• Hopeless
• Lazy
• Destructive
• Isolated
• Pain
• Panicked
• Deceitful
• Precarious
• Shy
• Solemn
• Cruel
• Vulnerable
• Troubled
• Pleased