There are new upholdings and shifting morals within each generation; Gen Z and Alpha being striving for authenticity and rejecting social pressures. Ironically enough, despite the majority encouraging these motions, many have numbed themselves of emotion causing a drought for connection with peers and oneself. Some analyse the phenomenon as a voluntary self-protection method, others an involuntary symptom caused by trauma.
The network of human connection is, more over than not, bonded by emotion. Mr. Portu, a well known psychology teacher of HBHS, shares, “As human beings we are incredibly social,”. “Being able to recognize emotions in other people and being able to express our emotions to other people, that a really important part of how we form those relationships,”
The director of the psychology department at HBHS, Dr. Penniman, stated, “When people are emotionally connected or emotionally supported it just adds another layer to the relationship,”
The bond with oneself is not excluded.
Every emotion a human has isn’t just a feeling, it’s a direction. They are the prime signal that reflects our experiences, thoughts, and personality. An emotion’s purpose lives for so much more than the specialized moment it is felt. By molding our viewpoint of life, our values & passions and, of course, relationships. Mr.Portu states, “Emotions are a lot of who we are,” further elaborating, “It’s the way that we express ourselves are all based on our emotions,”
Oftentimes, when faced with complex emotions, the emotion itself shifts us to discovering the answer to the ‘why’. Why do I react this way? This is our innate window to deep dive to one’s being–a chance to study oneself.
So what is proposed by being titled as emotionally unavailable?
It is seen that being detached from emotions creates a lack of life, but how can this be when some use it as a sort of safety mechanism? Mrs. Clardie, the head of the counseling department at HBHS shares, “Some people mistake them [emotional detachment] as being safe–they’re consistent, even keeled, but maybe they’re just not showing who they really are,”
Emotions inevitably weave themselves into our life. It provides an array of vividry that some sense as more of an anchor.
