Emotional management skill is one of the most vital skills that has to be mastered by

everyone. Some may take their emotional state of mind for granted but they will never know
how being emotionally unstable may affect their thought process on a day to day basis.
Deteriorating mental health leads to depression and suicide. Suicidal behaviour is a major
health concern in many countries. At least a million of people die from suicide annually
worldwide. This number is said to increase as the years progress. It is even more
disappointing to know that those who attempt suicide mainly consist of teens and the middle-
aged. Poor emotional management skills are the root cause of mental health problems. In
order to nip this issue in the bud, we have to educate students on how to manage their
emotions as they grow older.
Before getting into managing emotions, we need to be aware that our emotions are not fully
under our control. Our emotions are also subconsciously controlled by our brain. The limbic
system of our brain plays a primary role in reacting to a certain situation. Although we don’t
have full power on how we convey our emotions, we still have the option of training our
brain to react accordingly. Being level headed and not being too emotionally responsive
during a tense situation will allow us to always have an upper hand on our mental well-being.
Thus, it is important for us to identify the reason behind our emotional responses. It might be
because of past memories and experiences or it can also be because of the values we stand by.
Identifying the reason behind being emotionally responsive will allow us to be calmer during
an intense situation. Being calm at such situations show that we have good emotional
management skills.
Besides, to have some control over our emotions, we have to always question ourselves
before reacting to a situation. Some questions may include, what effect would my response
have towards me and the people around me or how else could I respond that would make this
situation better. By practicing to apply reasons before responding and reacting to a situation
will gradually retrain the limbic system. This way we can have more control on how we
emote in the long run.
Being in control of our emotional responses play a vital role in our emotional management
skill. Managing emotional responses are not the same as suppressing emotions. Suppressing
emotions can lead to physical stress on the body. Students these days are either very
vulnerable in a sensitive situation or they tend to ignore their emotions by supressing them.
Students are often unable to manage their emotion responses wisely leading to an emotional
outburst in the long run. Therefore, before learning how to manage their emotions, they have
to learn how to train their brain to react to a certain situation accordingly. In reference to
Aristotle’s wise words, anybody can become angry – that is easy, but to be angry with the
right person and to the right degree at the right time and for the right purpose, and in a right
way – that is not within everybody’s power and it is not easy. Therefore, it is important to
have control over our own mentality before taking measures to manage our emotions.
There are several ways an individual can manage their emotions wisely. It is important that
we take the initiatives to carry out these measures because to master the emotional
management skill, a lot of effort is required. First and the most important step required to
manage our emotions wisely is exercising. While many may look at exercising as a way to
strengthen physical health, they look past the fact that this activity plays a major role in
improving one’s mental health. It is a known fact that exercise is a natural anti-anxiety
treatment. Exercise relieves stress, improves memory and boosts our overall mood. When we
exercise, many changes occur in our brain. Our endocrine system releases dopamine, a
powerful hormone which energizes the spirit in us and brightens our mood. Dopamine
promotes neural growth hence making us feel calmer during depression and stressful
situations. As a conclusion, exercise builds our resilience, where we can cope with stressful
situations in a healthy and a calm manner.
As a student, we often ignore the fact that we are not alone in the battle of life. We refuse to
turn to our parents and peers for mental support as we are afraid that we would look too weak
in their eyes. However, in reality, having a shoulder to cry on is a sign of good emotional
management. We should always confide in a parent or a friend as it is not good to build up
negative emotions within ourselves. It is always good to let things out of our chest. It may be
difficult to be vulnerable in front of a person but it is one of the most effective ways to feel
better during tough times. If one finds it difficult to talk to their loved ones, they can always
confide in a counsellor. It is very important to not stay in our own little bubble and go out of
our comfort zone to seek for help.
In conclusion, emotional management skill is not an easy skill to master. However, it should
be taught to students from a young age by teachers and parents to ensure that they can cope
with the stress they are going to endure in the time to come. Many students go under
depression or become stressed out because they are unable to deal with the judgemental
society. It is important that we educate our young ones to live for themselves and to not fear
about anything or anyone around them. They should learn how to take control of their
emotions and not their emotions taking control over them. A mentally healthy individual is
everything we need to create a healthy society.