Whether it’s rage, fear, or joy, humans are wired to catch and spread emotions. This “emotion contagion” is quite powerful and can either be beneficial or it can be a recipe for disaster. We all constantly catch and spread feelings, usually beyond our awareness. Think about a time when your mood changed simply by being in the same space as a pessimistic friend or by being around cheerful and upbeat coworkers. What about fearful or conspiracy theory driven Facebook friends? 

Each of us has experienced emotional contagion in some way so much so that our brain and body interprets the situation as its own. Behaviors that are most contagious are those carried out by individuals most relevant to us, whether or not we know them personally. This leaves us all quite vulnerable, but with awareness we can protect ourselves from catching feelings. 

 

Here are a few tips:

Protect yourself– inoculate yourself from environmental stress through the basics; adequate sleep, healthy diet, and regular exercise 

Control yourself– be aware of how you’re feeling. Nurture both your logical and emotional mind and practice mindfulness which will bring awareness to your feelings in the moment

Know yourself– know your triggers. Be aware of what makes you feel angry, sad, lonely, or afraid

Check yourself– be able to place things where they belong emotionally. Ask yourself, “Is this a true and immediate threat to my well-being?” Quarantine yourself from others’ moods and emotions as needed 

 

Take some time to reflect on how others’ emotions have impacted you. Be intentional about protecting the energy you give off and the energy to take on. Our emotions give us important information about what’s happening in or around us, but emotions are like waves in the sea. They come and they go and their impact can be long lasting. So, when catching feelings be intentional.