Understanding Your Emotions—What Is an Emotion?

Chapter 5 of Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders: Workbook teaches that emotions are necessary and helpful in our day-to-day lives and explains why we wouldn’t actually want to get rid of all “bad” feelings. Instead of getting rid of negative emotions, the goal of this treatment is to help people respond differently when these emotions come up. The chapter looks at how emotions (such as fear, sadness, anxiety, and anger, as well as positive emotions, like happiness, excitement, and pride) can go from providing useful input to feeling totally overwhelming. Emotional experiences are made less overwhelming by breaking them down into more manageable parts—thoughts, physical sensations, and behaviors.