You Are Not Alone: Using Self-Compassion Practices & Coping Skills for Loneliness & Emotional Resilience (Compassion Series) [28]

In this episode, we're talking about self-compassion. We're digging into that third aspect of self-compassion noted by researcher Dr. Kristin Neff, which is: common humanity vs isolation. The essence of this aspect includes the feelings of not belonging and feeling alone in our suffering. Dr. Neff describes this:  "Frustration at not having things exactly as we want is often accompanied by an irrational, but pervasive sense of isolation. As if 'I' were the only person suffering or making mistakes. All humans suffer. However, the very definition of being human means that one is mortal, vulnerable, and imperfect. Therefore self-compassion involves recognizing that suffering and personal inadequacy is part of the shared human experience. Something that we all go through, rather than being something that happens to me alone." In this episode, we'll work to break out of isolation and break out of these cycles of self-isolation.  About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek. The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab Program.   Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).   Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app: Spotify | Apple | YouTube   Like and follow Joy Lab on Socials: Instagram | LinkedIn Key Takeaways (see full transcript below): We have to acknowledge that there are external things in our lives that we have little control over. We have more leverage, more control over our inner experience.  Self-compassion offers us an opportunity to stop fighting with our depression and anxiety. We have to hold ourselves and our pain with love to get relief.  Social pain, the feeling of being left out, is literally painful, using the same pain circuitry as physical pain does. That means when we feel supported, our interpretation of pain will be reduced. Fight, flight, and bite are not are only ways to handle stress... The "tend and befriend" response offers us another avenue to handle stress and reduce social pain.   Links Mentioned: Dr. Kristin Neff's website Research: The Neurobiology Shaping Affective Touch: Expectation, Motivation, and Meaning in the Multisensory Context Research: First Things First: Parent Psychological Flexibility and Self-Compassion During COVID-19  Research: Self-compassion as a predictor of interleukin-6 response to acute psychosocial stress  Research: Self-Compassion Increases Self-Improvement Motivation  Tend and Befriend Theory More about Mr. Rogers and a letter to himself (from The NY Times) Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information.   If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org