Affect Regulation
Affect RegulationDefinition
The process of managing and modifying emotional responses. Affect regulation includes strategies for controlling the intensity, duration, and expression of emotions.
How It Shows Up Internally
Successful regulation might feel like creating space around an emotion—still feeling it but not being controlled by it. Unsuccessful regulation might feel like suppression that builds pressure, or being swept away by the emotion.
Examples
- 1Taking deep breaths when feeling angry before responding
- 2Reframing a criticism as feedback to reduce defensiveness
- 3Delaying a response to an upsetting email until you've calmed down
Related Patterns
Related Terms
Emotional Trigger
A stimulus that reliably produces a strong emotional response. Triggers are often connected to past experiences, identity, values, or psychological vulnerabilities.
Amygdala Hijack
An immediate, overwhelming emotional response disproportionate to the stimulus. The amygdala (emotional processing center) overrides the prefrontal cortex (rational thinking), leading to reactive rather than responsive behavior.