Emotional Detox: Simple Ways to Clear Your Mind and Heal

Have you ever eaten bad food and ended up with indigestion? That’s how it feels when you allow undigested and overprocessed emotions to build up in your mind.

Just like harsh chemicals or consuming sugar substitutes can upset your body, reactive emotions like anger, guilt, or frustration can wreak havoc on your emotional,mental, and relational well-being.

In this article, you will learn how to do an emotional detox and restore inner clarity and peace. You will also discover gentle and intentional practices to help you process and release emotions and mindsets that no longer serve you.

What is Emotional Detox? 

Emotions are physiological and psychological responses to experiences, thoughts and situations around us. Succinctly put, emotions are your mind and body’s way of responding to events around and within you.

Emotions are complex responses that include:

• A cognitive (mental) experience, which is how you feel, e.g anxious, scared, etc
• A physical experience or reaction which explains changes in heart rate, breathing, posture, etc
• A behavioural reaction, like crying, laughing, withdrawal, etc.

When these emotions build up or are unprocessed, they often leave us feeling uneasy and overwhelmed. These emotions are important for decision-making, relationships, mental health, physical health, and our holistic wellbeing. So we need to learn how to refine these emotions and release the negative feelings. This is where emotional detox comes in.

Emotional detox, while not a medical term, refers to the intentional and practical measures you adopt to manage your own emotions to prevent them from piling up and overwhelming you, and negatively impacting loved ones.

If the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as the “state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity”, then it is both valid and essential to study and learn how to detox emotions.

How to Practice Emotional Detox

There is a reason why habits are built by practice and consistency. This is because knowledge alone does not change attitudes or behaviours. The best way to fully detoxify your mind emotionally is to make a practice or habit out of it.

Before we dive into the different emotional detox steps, let’s understand what practising emotional detox does to the brain.

Repeated practice leads to changes in brain structure and can have psychological benefits because it reshapes your brain through a process called neuroplasticity. Over time, when you practice emotional detox, the neural pathways in your brain are strengthened by the repetition, and it becomes a habit. You can now process thoughts and your emotions in a more balanced and healthier way.

As you begin to release these emotions, you may notice physical symptoms such as crying spells, headaches, fatigue, or digestive changes. These can be part of the healing process often reflecting your body processing stored tension, not necessarily relapse.

However, they can also indicate a need for reset or additional support. Everyone needs help at times so please listen to your body and respond with care. This is not a setback.

Let us look at some emotional detox exercises.

Acknowledge Your Feelings

It is an erroneous societal mantra to tell people things like “men don’t cry”, “ toughen up”, “big girls don’t cry”, or “It’s not a big deal”.

The first step towards emotional detox is acknowledging and validating that something is feeling off, different, etc. Denying and or judging your gut feelings and emotions will not make them disappear. These emotions settle and build up without being properly processed.

Acknowledging your emotions starts with recognising that it is ok to feel. Take time to pause and notice what has triggered your current emotional response. Try to identify what you feel: Sad? Angry? Confused? Acknowledging your emotions is one of the tools for emotional reactivity to help you improve your self-awareness and communication skills.

Your emotions are valid, so acknowledge them.

Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

The practice of mindfulness and meditation dates back thousands of years. It is a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual practices aimed at releasing fear and inner toxicity, calming the nervous system, and bringing the mind-body into a state of balance, awareness, and peace.

If you spend as little as 5-10 minutes a day practising emotional detox meditation exercises such as conscious breathing, focused attention, and intentional stillness, you will cultivate emotional resilience.

Some proven meditation techniques include mindful breathing, body scan meditation, mantra meditation, walking meditation, guided meditation, etc. Working with a yoga instructor is also a good way to ensure guided meditation.

Some recommended relaxing yoga poses include child’s pose, cat-cow pose, camel pose, pigeon pose, reclined bound angle pose, etc.

Journaling to Release Emotions

Journaling is an important skill to help detox negative emotions that aren’t acknowledged or expressed. Writing down your experiences helps you refine and process your emotions or triggers. Journaling is one of the fastest ways to develop new positive habits.

The practice of journaling is often supported by a growing body of research that recognises it as a valuable tool for improving self-reflection and emotional processing, supporting both emotional and psychological well-being.

There are different types of journals that you can employ for emotional release or emotional flow:

• Gratitude journal: This is the practice of regularly writing down the things that you are thankful for. This allows for internal reflection and helps you realise the things that matter to you. Journaling in this manner can help improve your mood, reduce anxiety, and improve your overall outlook on life.
• Reflection journal: A reflective journal or diary is often used to record your day-to-day activities, whether positive or negative, and what you learned from them. To get the best out of this journal, you must practice self-reflection until it becomes second nature.
• Self-Compassion journal: If you are feeling overwhelmed, it might be worth doing some introspection using self-compassion journaling. This would help you regulate your emotions and gain a deep sense of self-awareness.
• Consciousness journaling: This is a great way to allow your thoughts to flow onto the pages of your note without editing. This technique can be helpful if you are looking to clear your mind, process your emotions, and gain a deeper understanding of your thought processes.
• Mindfulness journaling: It involves a systematic and mindful practice that keeps you in the present moment, tracking your emotions and self-awareness.

Journaling can help bring awareness to complex or vague emotional states that may not be easy to verbalize in conversation. Journal entries are best written from the negative to the positive to help you let go of negative feelings and open you up to both emotional and spiritual detox.

Engage in Physical Activities

Engaging in physical activities is a way to release pent-up emotions. Most times, people resort to substance abuse to cope with life’s problems. Using substances to cope may feel like a momentary escape however, it often intensifies emotional dysregulation and combined with the toxins it contains,may increasingly harm your brain, gut, and nervous system over time.

In addition to helping your body digest food better, exercise helps your mind process emotions. Whether it is a brisk walk, yoga, or an intense workout, movement ensures that reactivity improves over time, allowing you to respond to life challenges with clarity.

According to a systematic review of 75 studies, walking, which is one of the many physical activities, could improve depressive and anxiety symptoms in people.

This article from Harvard Health also proves that walking helps your body produce more endorphins (a natural painkiller and a mood elevator) to reduce the stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

Connect With Nature

Just as a juice cleanse flushes toxins from the body, immersing yourself in nature is a natural purge for your mind, restoring you to your natural state. Taking a break from our daily lives to reconnect with nature could be the start to a more intentional life.

The effect of nature on the mental well-being of people was explored by David Strayer, who is a cognitive psychologist at the University of Utah. The lecturer who coined the term “the three-day effect” conducted a study on a group of hikers who went on a 4-day trip, disconnected from technology and immersed in nature. Around day 3, Strayer discovered what he called a neural reboot, where mental clarity, creativity, and cognitive function improved significantly among the hikers.

His study was supported by another review, which confirms that various nature-focused activities are associated with the following benefits:

• Decrease in mental stress;
• Improved resilience;
• Improved social interaction and cohesion;
• Positive emotions and expressions;
• A sense of purpose.

Furthermore, this review also found that nature experiences improved the quality of sleep, which has a ripple effect on our general mental well-being. Better sleep can reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, and negative thoughts.

Limit Toxic Relationships

Humans are social beings that can only thrive in groups; therefore, the formation of relationships is an inevitable part of our being. However, while some relationships help us thrive and achieve our goals, others tend to drain and deplete our energy.

Toxic relationships are often an impactful cause of many emotional struggles and interpersonal challenges we face.

A toxic relationship is a relationship that is often characterised by behaviours by one or both parties that are emotionally or physically draining. 

Common signs of a toxic relationship are:

• Lack of mutual trust;
• Constant bullying;
• Destructive criticism;
• Gaslighting and manipulative behaviour;
• Lying and cheating;
• Controlling behavior.

Toxic relationships can occur most commonly amongst colleagues at work, peers in school, and family members.

The best way to handle toxic relationships includes:

• Set clear boundaries.
• Recognise the toxic patterns.
• Limit contact or create distance.
• Use assertive language.
• Don’t try to fix someone else’s problems.
• Protect your mental health.
• Seek help when needed.

As far as emotional detoxes go, limiting toxic relationships can support emotional health especially when struggling with anxiety, low self-esteem, or self-confidence. It can also enhance overall wellbeing.

Incorporate Deep Breathing Techniques

“Take a deep breath” is a common calming instruction, especially in the face of much tension and emotional distress. Unknowing to many, this simple advice has a scientific basis in emotionally cleansing the mind, easing stress, reducing panic attacks, and helping people deal with emotions.

Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn lowers heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels. It also increases oxygen flow to the brain and body to clear mental fog and support emotional clarity over time.

The beauty of emotional detoxing with breathing is that it is an exercise that can be performed anywhere. It involves several types of unforced, rhythmic breathing techniques that include yogic breathing, diaphragmatic, and abdominal breathing, to mention but a few.

Each session of these exercises is encouraged to last between 5 to 20 minutes, so it is an exercise that you can practice regardless of your schedule. Also, many people can tell a difference after 3 deep breaths.

Establish Healthy Boundaries

Establishing healthy boundaries is a powerful way to protect yourself from toxic or potentially toxic relationships. It helps others understand what you can and cannot tolerate, making it clear where your emotional space begins and ends.

By setting these boundaries early, you teach people how to treat you and create a foundation of mutual respect.

Use the following steps when establishing healthy boundaries:

• Say no without feeling guilty.
• Be consistent.
• Be clear about your needs.
• Communicate calmly and directly.
• Know your limits.
• Use consequences when necessary.
• Prepare for push back.
• Check in with yourself regularly.

Setting boundaries is not about building walls. It is about respecting yourself and valuing your worth. By being clear, confident and consistent in what you need, you avoid future altercations that can affect your mental and emotional health.

Explore a Creative Outlet

The positive impact of creative outlets has been proven by research. Various researchers have proven that creative activities like painting, writing, music, crafts or creating things and DIYs promote feelings of autonomy and provide a sense of empowerment.

Creative expressions also help you break free from mental blocks, making you more productive even at work. Creativity outlets are channels through which thoughts and feelings are expressed.

Here are 5 ways creative outlets enable emotional detox:

• It helps you express unspoken emotions.
• Promotes mindfulness.
• Reduces stress and anxiety.
• Enhances self-awareness.
• Turns pain to purpose.

Creative activities help you release feelings that are hard to verbalise while reducing overthinking. The result is self-awareness and creating something meaningful from the intense emotional experience.

Seek Professional Support When Necessary

Friends and family can be a good support system when we are overwhelmed. However, sometimes we need a different and empathic, yet professional guide through the emotional maze. 

While self-care activities and emotional cleanses are beneficial, some emotions run deeper and dysregulate the nervous system.

In today’s world, where seeking help is often stigmatised, it is important to note that while receiving validation from others can feel comforting, it’s not a substitute for healing. You deserve healing which, as anything else, often needs support from professionals.

Therapists, counsellors, trained mental health professionals and certified coaches can offer different forms of support. Whether you need help processing unresolved trauma, breaking unhealthy patterns, or developing healthier coping strategies, it is never too soon –or too late– to seek help.

A wise rule of thumb is to seek help as soon as emotional distress begins to interfere with your daily life, work, relationships, or your overall quality of life. Be sure to vet those with whom you choose to receive support to help ensure their skills and approach align with your needs.

And if one person doesn’t help or doesn’t feel like the right fit, that doesn’t mean support isn’t for you, it just means you haven’t found the right match yet. Trust yourself and find another vetted resource.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I do an emotional detox?

While ‘emotional detox’ isn’t a medical term, consistent emotional self-care using the methods we have discussed above, especially during stress, helps. However, why not act preventatively? Try to let go of all the pent-up emotions you feel and experience every day. There is no “right” amount however, let how you feel, your goals, values, and your quality of life be your guide.

Is emotional detox the same as therapy?

No, it is not, but they complement each other. While emotional detox is a self-care practice, therapy always involves a professional for deeper emotional healing.

How do I know if I need emotional detox?

Everyone needs emotional detox to different degrees. No one is immune to the impact of the human experience. That said, if you have experienced trauma or are feeling overwhelmed, mentally foggy, emotionally numb or easily triggered, it’s best to make a daily practice of emotional detox and also see a professional.

References

1. The Science of Emotion: Exploring the Basics of Emotional Psychology
2. The Brussels Times; Emotional Detox: Four Principles to Deal With Build-up Negativity
3. World Health Organisation
4. Neuroplasticity
5. Detoxes and Cleanses: What You Need to Know
6. Exploring the Persistence of Negative Emotional Memories Over Positive Ones: A Qualitative Study
7. The Neurobiology of Substance Use, Misuse, and Addiction
8. Emotional Regulation in Substance Use Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
9. Problematic Social Media Use and Social Support Received in Real-life Versus on Social Media: Association With Depression, Anxiety, and Social Isolation
10. How Your Emotions Can Guide You to Good Decisions
11. The Connection Between Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation
12. Journaling and Mental Health During Covid-19: Insights From The Pandemic Journaling Project 
13. The Effect of Walking on Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
14. Exercising to Relax
15. The 3-Day Effect: How Reconnecting With Nature Can Aid Your Recovery
16. Nature and Mental Health: An Ecosystem Service Perspective
17. Deep Breathing Exercise at Work: Potential Applications and Impact
18. Creative expression and mental health