The Negative Effects Of Frustration (and 5 Ways To Manage It)
Frustration is part of life It is that feeling that we experience, to a greater or lesser extent, when we do not get what we want or when our aspirations are hindered. Many times it turns into anger, rage, anguish, and sadness.
It’s totally human to feel frustrated when what we feel we need and want so much seems to be stuck. I think about my own experience with frustration, and these fairly common examples from everyday life come to mind:
There is another type of frustration too that is deeper This appears when we try hard but with little or no results. The latter feels like we sow under the sun day after day and then the harvest is minimal or insufficient. It is for all this that it is normal to feel discomfort and tension in the face of frustration.
Frustration can find its origins in internal or external sources.
Internal
Believing that we are not enough to achieve what we want having low self-esteem to go in search of what we need, anticipatory fears of not getting the answer we want or of being rejected.
External
The culture and society to which we belong that sometimes it demands us excessively and other times it limits us ; public institutions and also people who are necessary for the development of our plans and our well-being, resources such as time or money.
Whether our frustration is the result of real or imagined emotions and situations, inside or outside of us, it is important to develop the ability to relate to this emotion instead of reacting from it.
The frustration It can be positive when it points us to the places we must attend and where we have to do work on ourselves If you think that what is happening to you is because you are unlucky, you will have to reframe your thinking to regain your power and take action to reverse your situation. If you have given up because you have had several setbacks, it will be time to take the falls as learning and adopt a growth mindset.
The problem begins when frustration makes us suffer, when we blame others, when we self-flagellate and when we tell ourselves all kinds of stories that have nothing to do with reality When frustration takes us down this path, it makes us enter a negative and very addictive loop. Who didn’t feel relief by screaming, fighting, and victimizing themselves? However, this defense mechanism separates us from our true Essence, our wisest Self, and our ability to discern. We get stuck going over and over again everything that makes us angry about our circumstances.
Effects of frustration
The frustration It can have very harmful effects if not managed well Some of these may be:
You may be interested: “Types of stress and their triggers”
What can we do?
When frustration is channeled positively, it serves as a messenger It is unconditional friendship with ourselves that will take us out of the well of negativity that frustration brings with it. We have the opportunity to dig inside ourselves to see what needs to be attended to physically, mentally, and emotionally with great care and self-compassion. The first thing we can do is quiet our agitated mind. In my practice, the first thing I ask my clients to work from a calm place is to breathe deeply and get in touch with what they experience in their body.
Recently a client shared with me that he felt a ball in his throat. I asked him, “If you could stand in front of you with this pressure in your throat and this frustration and ask yourself, “What do you need from me?” And what would alleviate your discomfort? What would the you in front of you answer?” He replied, “I should go out riding my bike, I should change my environment, I should stop longing for the past, I can’t control others.” I kept asking, “What can you do?” What attitudes and thoughts do you need to let go of? and his answers were truly illuminating.
Of course, the example I have offered you is just a small piece of a job that has required time, energy, will, and patience. However, It is worth developing our tolerance for frustration so that it does not escalate to greater levels Below I share more ideas that can help you:
Ask a therapist, coach, or mentor for help so you can discover your limiting beliefs, the mentality that keeps you stuck, and the behavioral patterns that make you suffer.
Develop your ability to observe what is happening to you by taking a breath before reacting without thinking.
Meditate, take several deep breaths a day, and relax your muscles.
Get out of your contracted reality and do some type of physical exercise that gives you pleasure.
Exercise so that your verbal and non-verbal communication is assertive and positive.
Always remember that life is full of surprises, setbacks, and challenges. These temper our spirit. Learn to discern between what is in your hands and what is not. Remember how important it is to educate ourselves to manage frustration in time without letting it dominate us.
