R1 Learning

The Basic Theory of Emotions and Feelings

Emotions and Feelings are at the core of several key theories and models in Behavioral Health. They are a key dimension in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Recovery Capital, the 8 Dimensions of Wellness, and many others. They are central to preventing recurrence of use since they are the stimuli that activate the emotions process.

As you will see in the chart below, triggers activate the Cognitive Theory of Emotions Process. If unregulated, emotions can move individuals toward both unhealthy and healthy behaviors very quickly. Therefore, it is important to identify triggers that activate unhealthy behaviors so that one can better anticipate, plan and observe for, and act upon as they come in and out of our environment in our daily lives.

The chart above represents Klaus Scherer’s five components of processing of emotions in conjunction with Richard Lazarus’s cognitive emotions theory.

In this example of Geoff encountering the stimulus of a grizzly bear, Geoff screams and runs away… and escapes unharmed. That’s the good news. But what impact will this traumatic experience have on Geoff over the next hours, days, weeks, or even years? Will he tell the tale joyfully as a brave survivor of this near-death experience? Or will the event replay negatively in Geoff’s memories, causing anxiety, depression, and other unhealthy thoughts or behaviors? Will similar environments or experiences cause similar feelings of terror, panic, and unsafeness even without a bear present? There are many different ways of reacting to and coping with such stimuli. No matter the reaction, it will be important for Geoff to express what happened to him that day – both in terms of his beliefs, the facts, but also in terms of what he was thinking and feeling before, during, and after the situation.

8 Core Emotions — Examples:

Review the 8 Core Emotions on the Discovery Cards below. There is a list of 2-6 examples of related feelings for each. Emotions are in the body. Feelings are labels individuals place on the body feelings they experience.

It is important to identify triggers so that individuals can anticipate and / or avoid them in their daily lives. In the case above, it is also important to know what trauma we may be triggering and reexperiencing from past events so that we can address and avoid them too. Identifying triggers is a key objective for individuals in treatment and / or recovery. Let’s explore Relapse Triggers further by learning about The Relapse Trigger Model.

References
Lazarus RS. “Cognition and Motivation in Emotion.” American Psychologist 46:352–367, 1991

Scherer KR. “What Are Emotions? And How Can They Be Measured?” Social Science Information 44:693–727, 2005