Table of Content

What are feelings?

Feelings are emotional states associated with certain physiological changes in the body. They can be positive or negative. Feelings are often accompanied by thoughts, behaviors, and physical sensations. They can be triggered by internal or external events and can vary in intensity and duration. Feelings play an important role in our psychological well-being and can influence our behavior and decision making. In this article, we will share some tips to help you differentiate between feelings and facts.

How are feelings described in psychology?

In psychology, feelings are often described as subjective experiences related to emotions. Emotions are complex psychological states characterized by physiological arousal, expressive behavior, and conscious experience. They are generally considered to be made up of a combination of cognitive, physiological, and behavioral components.

1. Cognitive component

Cognitive component refers to the thoughts and perceptions that are associated with an emotion. For example, a person may experience fear when they perceive a threat or danger.

2. Physiological component

Physiological component refers to the changes in the body that occur in response to an emotion. For example, the heart rate might increase and the palms might sweat when a person is feeling anxious.

3. Behavioral component

Behavioral component refers to the actions or expressions that are associated with an emotion. For example, a person might cry or become visibly upset when they are feeling sad.

Emotions are also described in terms of their valence (positive or negative) and their arousal level (high or low). For example, joy is a positive emotion that is high in arousal, while contentment is a positive emotion that is low in arousal.

What are facts?

Facts are statements or pieces of information that are known to be true based on objective evidence or verification. They can be statements of fact, measurements, statistics, or other types of information that can be proven or disproven through observation or experimentation. They are distinct from opinions and may not be based on evidence or be influenced by personal biases.

Facts are often used as a basis for making decisions, designing experiments, or understanding the world around us. They can be found in various sources like scientific research, historical documents, and news articles. Facts are subjected to change or revision as new information becomes available. Also, facts can be interpreted in different ways depending on one’s perspective and can be disputed or debated.

How are facts described in psychology?

In psychology, facts can refer to objective information that is used to understand and explain behavior, thoughts, and emotions.

For example:

In cognitive psychology, facts can be used to understand how people process and store information, while in developmental psychology, facts can be used to understand how children acquire knowledge and skills.

Facts can also be used in the context of research to establish a base of knowledge and to support or refute hypotheses. In some cases, facts can be used in the context of therapy to help individuals understand and change their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

For example:

In cognitive-behavioral therapy, facts can be used to challenge negative or irrational thoughts and to provide a more realistic perspective.

What is emotional recovery?

Emotional recovery refers to the process of coping with and overcoming negative emotions and psychological distress that may be caused by traumatic or stressful events. It can include a range of activities and interventions that help individuals regain a sense of control over their emotions, cope with difficult feelings, and return a healthy emotional state.

Read Blog: 7 Reasons Why It Is Difficult To Manage Emotions? Tips To Control Emotions For Effective Emotional Healing

The process of emotional recovery can involve different stages, including:

1. Acknowledging and accepting the feelings:

This can involve recognizing and validating the feelings that are associated with the traumatic event, such as sadness, anger, or fear.

2. Processing the emotions:

This can involve expressing and exploring the emotions through talking, writing, or other forms of self-expression.

3. Regaining a sense of control:

This can involve developing coping strategies and skills to manage the emotions and reduce feelings of helplessness and vulnerability.

4. Re-engaging with life:

This can involve returning to normal activities, such as work or hobbies, as well as rebuilding relationships and connections with others.

5. Finding meaning and purpose:

This can involve finding a sense of meaning and purpose in the aftermath of the traumatic event and using the experience to grow and develop as a person.

Emotional recovery may be supported by different types of therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, exposure therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). It can also involve self-help strategies such as mindfulness, meditation, and journaling.

Read Blog: Emotional Healing and The Art of Journaling: Tips to Get Started

Why is emotional recovery needed?

Emotional recovery is needed because traumatic or stressful events can have a significant impact on an individual’s emotional well-being. Trauma or stress can cause intense and overwhelming emotions such as fear, sadness, anger, guilt, and can lead to negative feelings such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These negative emotions can lead to physical, psychological and social problems that can be detrimental to a person’s quality of life and overall well-being.

Emotional recovery is important because it can help individuals:

1. Regain a sense of control over their emotions:

Trauma or stress can leave individuals feeling helpless and vulnerable. Emotional recovery can help them regain a sense of control over their emotions and their lives.

2. Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety:

Trauma or stress can lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety, which can be debilitating and interfere with daily functioning. Emotional recovery can help reduce these symptoms and improve overall well-being.

3. Improve physical health:

Trauma or stress can have a negative impact on physical health. Emotional recovery can help improve physical health by reducing symptoms of stress, such as headaches, fatigue, and insomnia.

Read Blog: Benefits of Cardiac Coherence and Steps to Aid Emotional Healing + Free Worksheet to Get You Started!

4. Improve relationships:

Trauma or stress can have a negative impact on relationships. Emotional recovery can help improve relationships by reducing symptoms of stress, such as irritability and isolation, and by improving communication and empathy.

5. Find meaning and purpose:

Trauma or stress can leave individuals feeling lost and without purpose. Emotional recovery can help individuals find meaning and purpose in the aftermath of the traumatic event, and use the experience to grow and develop as a person.

Enroll in course: Scientific methods for emotional recovery

How are feeling and facts related to emotional recovery?

Feelings and facts are related to emotional recovery in the following ways:

• Feelings are an important part of the emotional recovery process, as they need to be acknowledged and processed in order to move forward from a traumatic or stressful event.

• Facts can be used to understand and make sense of the traumatic event, providing context and background information that can help individuals to process their feelings and emotions.

• Facts can be used in cognitive-behavioral therapy to challenge negative or irrational thoughts and to provide a more realistic perspective.

• Feelings can be used to identify triggers and warning signs of emotional distress, and facts can be used to develop coping strategies to manage those triggers.

• Facts can be used to provide a sense of reality and a basis for understanding and explaining human behavior, emotions, and thoughts.

• Facts can be used in research to establish a base of knowledge and to support or refute hypotheses, and help to understand the emotional recovery process.

What are the major differences between feelings and facts? 

• Feelings are subjective experiences that are related to emotions and are based on personal perception and interpretation. Facts are pieces of information that are known to be true based on objective evidence or verification.

• Feelings are often accompanied by physiological changes in the body and can vary in intensity and duration. Facts tend to be relatively stable and unchanging.

• Feelings can be influenced by personal biases. Facts are based on evidence or verification that can be tested and proven.

• Feelings can be expressed through verbal and non-verbal communication. Facts are presented in a more objective manner.

• Feelings can change over time. Facts tend to remain the same.

• Feelings can be influenced by emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Facts tend to be independent of them.

• Feelings are often used to express a person’s emotional state or opinion. Facts are used to present information or to support a particular point of view.

Why is it important to separate fact from feeling?

Here are some reasons why it’s important to separate fact from feeling:

1. It helps to provide a clear and accurate understanding of the situation:

When facts and feelings are separated, it’s easier to understand the objective reality of the situation. It also helps to make informed decisions based on that understanding.

2. It helps to regulate emotions:

When facts and feelings are mixed together, it can be difficult to regulate emotions, as feelings may be based on inaccurate or unverified information. Separating facts from feelings can help to identify the source of the emotion. It also helps in developing appropriate coping strategies.

Read Blog: The Need and Tips To Develop Emotion Regulation Skills + Case-study

3. It helps to improve communication:

When facts and feelings are mixed together, it can be difficult to communicate effectively, as others may not understand the perspective or the emotional state of the person communicating. Separating facts from feelings can help to improve communication by making it clear what is being communicated and why.

5. It helps to avoid cognitive biases:

When facts and feelings are mixed together, it can be easy to fall prey to cognitive biases. Cognitive bias can distort the perception of reality and lead to poor decision making. Separating facts from feelings can provide a clearer and more accurate understanding of the situation.

6. It helps to avoid the emotional manipulation:

When facts and feelings are mixed together, it can be easy to manipulate the emotions of others or to be manipulated by others. Separating facts from feelings can help to avoid emotional manipulation.

Why do people say feelings aren’t facts?

Here are a few reasons why people might say “feelings aren’t facts”:

1. Differentiate between feelings and facts:

To remind people that feelings can be influenced by personal biases and past experiences. Where as, facts are based on evidence or verification that can be tested and proven.

2. Separation between feelings and facts:

To encourage people to separate facts from feelings. It provides accurate understanding of the situation. Also, it helps in making informed decisions.

3. Recognize that feelings change but facts remains the same:

This means that feelings are not always a reliable indicator of reality. Feelings should not be used as a basis for decision-making or problem-solving.

4. Avoid emotional manipulation

To avoid emotional manipulation and irrational thinking. Feelings can be influenced by emotions, thoughts and behaviors, and can change rapidly. But facts tend to be independent of them.

5. Help with regulating emotions:

Feelings can be overwhelming and can cloud judgment. But facts provide a sense of reality, context, and understanding. Understanding the difference can help individuals to make sense of their feelings and emotions.

6. Generating awareness of feelings:

To help people to be more aware that feelings are only one aspect of the human experience, and that they should not be the sole source of decision making or problem-solving.

Do feelings matter more than facts?

It depends on the context and the situation. In some cases, facts may be more important than feelings, while in other cases, feelings may be more important than facts.

Here are a few examples:

1. In decision-making, facts may be more important than feelings.

For example, if a person is considering buying a house, facts such as the location, size, and price of the house may be more important than feelings.

2. In problem-solving, facts may be more important than feelings.

For example, if a person is trying to fix a broken appliance, facts that are needed to fix it may be more important than feelings.

3. In personal relationships, feelings may be more important than facts.

For example, if a person is trying to understand the emotions of someone they care about, feelings behind it may be more important than facts such as what the person did or said.

4. In mental and emotional health, feelings may be more important than facts in certain situations.

For example, it is important to validate one’s feelings and emotions to understand how they relate to the facts of the situation.

It is important to note that feelings and facts can be closely related and that they can influence each other. It’s also important to understand that both feelings and facts play a role in decision making and problem-solving. Also, it’s important to balance the two in order to make the best decisions and to solve problems effectively.

Enroll in our course: Mental health Toolbox for everyday problems

What is meant by Emotional truth vs factual truth?

“Emotional truth” and “factual truth” refer to two different types of truth or reality.

Factual truth is the objective reality of a situation or event.

It is based on evidence or verification and is independent of personal perception or interpretation. It can be proven and is verifiable by others. Examples of factual truths include scientific facts, historical facts, and mathematical facts.

Emotional truth is the subjective reality of a situation or event.

It is based on personal perception and interpretation and can be influenced by emotions, thoughts, and past experiences. Emotional truth cannot be proven or verified by others and may be different from person to person.

Both emotional truth and factual truth are important and play a role in understanding the world around us. However, it’s important to recognize the difference between the two and to understand that they may not always align.

What is meant by feelings are not facts in cognitive behavioral therapy?

The idea that “feelings are not facts” is used to help individuals understand that their thoughts and feelings can influence their perceptions of reality.

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative patterns of thinking and behavior. One of the key concepts in CBT is that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and that changing one can lead to changes in the others.

• The idea that “feelings are not facts” is important in CBT. It helps individuals to recognize that their thoughts and feelings can be influenced by biases, past experiences, and other factors. These thoughts and feelings may not always be a reliable indicator of reality.

• By recognizing that feelings are not facts, individuals can learn to question their thoughts and to challenge negative patterns of thinking. This can help them to develop more realistic and helpful perspectives on their experiences and to improve their emotional well-being.

• In CBT, the therapist helps the individual to identify, challenge and change negative thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes. they also help clients to replace them with more positive and realistic ones. This can change the way the individual feels, and how they behave in certain situations.

Read Blog: What is CBT- An Introduction to a Revolutionary Therapy with A Case Example

For example, a person may have the thought “I am a failure” which can lead to feelings of sadness and hopelessness. However, the fact is that the person may have had some successes in their life, and the thought “I am a failure” is not an accurate representation of reality.

10 tips to differentiate between facts and feelings 

1. Writing down your thoughts and feelings:

Write down your thoughts and feelings as soon as you experience them. This can help you to identify patterns and to separate facts from feelings.

2. Identifying triggers:

Identify the situations, events, or people that trigger your thoughts and feelings. This can help you to understand the connection between your thoughts and feelings and the events that trigger them.

3. Using “I” statements:

Use “I” statements when describing your thoughts and feelings, rather than “you” statements. For example, say “I feel angry” instead of “you make me angry.” This can help you to take responsibility for your thoughts and feelings, and to recognize that they are not always caused by external factors.

4. Practicing mindfulness:

Practice mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga, to help you to be more present in the moment and to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

Watch video: Guided Slow breathing meditation

5. Identifying cognitive distortions:

Identify cognitive distortions, such as black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing, and overgeneralization, in your thoughts. These distortions can lead to negative thoughts and feelings, and can make it difficult to separate facts from feelings.

6. Asking for feedback:

Ask for feedback from others, to get a different perspective on your thoughts and feelings. This can help you to identify biases and to understand how others see the situation.

7. Fact checking:

Fact check your thoughts and feelings. For example, if you have the thought “I am not good enough,” ask yourself if that statement is objectively true.

8. Identifying assumptions:

Identify assumptions in your thoughts and feelings. For example, if you have the feeling “I’m going to fail this test,” ask yourself what assumptions you are making about the test and about yourself.

9. Examining evidence:

Examine the evidence for and against your thoughts and feelings. For example, if you have the thought “I am not smart,” ask yourself what evidence you have to support that thought, and what evidence you have to refute it.

10. Using rational self-talk:

Use rational self-talk to challenge negative thoughts and feelings. 

Download our free worksheet to distinguish between facts and feelings with ease

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