Ask someone how they feel, and you may hear back:
“I feel like they don’t appreciate me.”
“I feel like this is never going to end.”
These statements do not reflect feelings. They reflect thoughts, judgements or interpretations. While thinking and feeling are deeply connected, they are two distinct things.
So, what are feeling words?
Feeling words describe emotional states. Feeling words include, but are not limited to, words like angry, sad, scared, valued, safe, confident, overwhelmed and energized. excited, anxious, hopeful or ashamed.
They name the experience happening in the body and mind, rather than the story we are telling ourselves about what happened. This simple act of naming the feeling can have powerful effects on our brain and our mental well-being.
The Science: Name It to Tame It
Research shows that naming emotions, also called affect labeling, can calm the brain’s alarm system, the amygdala. This helps both the person sharing the feeling and the one listening feel less emotionally overwhelmed. Using simple feeling words can help people manage their emotions and communicate more clearly (Elsayed et al., 2021; Shinpei et al., 2024; Torre & Lieberman, 2018).
Mental Health Benefits of Using Feeling Words
- Improves emotional awareness: Helps you better understand and process your own experiences.
- Reduces emotional reactivity: Naming emotions lowers the intensity of negative feelings.
- Encourages vulnerability and trust: Using feeling words opens space for meaningful, authentic conversations.
- Strengthens relationships: Honest emotional expression fosters deeper connection and empathy.
- Enhances problem-solving: When you know how you feel, you can better identify what you need.
- Supports emotional regulation: Regularly identifying emotions helps build resilience over time.
Next time someone asks you how you’re feeling – pause and take a breath. Try using a real feeling word. You may be surprised how powerful this small shift can be.
Putting Feeling Words into Practice: Getting Support
Learning to name and express your emotions is an important step toward improving emotional wellbeing. Sometimes working through those feelings with a professional can make all the difference.
If you’re ready to start therapy, visit Psychology Today’s online directory to find a therapist by specialty, insurance, or location.
Locally, Bronson HelpNet offers both Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counseling services and long-term outpatient therapy in Kalamazoo, Calhoun and Van Buren counties.
- Community members seeking outpatient therapy: Call (269) 245-3850 to schedule an appointment or visit bronsonhealth.com/counseling for more information.
- Employees with Bronson HelpNet EAP benefits: Call (269) 245-3900 to schedule an appointment.
- Employers interested in adding EAP services: Call (269) 245-3900 to learn more about partnering with Bronson HelpNet.
APA References
- Elsayed, N. M., Vogel, A. C., Luby, J. L., & Barch, D. M. (2021). Labeling Emotional Stimuli in Early Childhood Predicts Neural and Behavioral Indicators of Emotion Regulation in Late Adolescence. Biological Psychiatry : Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 6(1), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.08.018
- Shinpei, Y., Kouga, S., & Keiichi, O. (2024). Diminished negative emotion regulation through affect labeling and reappraisal: insights from functional near infrared spectroscopy on lateral prefrontal cortex activation. BMC Psychology, 12(1), 613–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02103-y
- Torre, J. B., & Lieberman, M. D. (2018). Putting Feelings Into Words: Affect Labeling as Implicit Emotion Regulation. Emotion Review, 10(2), 116–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073917742706
