Feeling stuck can be like quicksand, the harder you try to get out the deeper you sink. What if we told you that there may be reasons why you are feeling this way, backed by science? If you can understand the root cause of your feeling stuck in life, finding a way out may be easier. Here are 5 common reasons why we feel stuck according to experts.
1. Fear
‘Stuckness’, inability to change, or resistance can usually be traced back to fear. Sometimes we are aware of fear and sometimes we can’t recognize it in ourselves. Neuroscientist Antoni Damasio’s research suggests that all emotions, positive or negative, have evolutionary functions. These functions are safety, rest, bonding, and resources. If we are fearful our safety is threatened and our body is pushed into a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response. No matter what response is triggered, it prevents us from moving forward and making changes in our lives.
2. Anxiety
Anxiety often keeps us in a cycle of negative thinking or false beliefs. This merely is self-preservation. Until we reframe our beliefs and break the cycle we remain stuck. If you are suffering from anxiety a mental-health expert can help you with coping strategies so you can get unstuck.
3. Past Trauma
Traumatic past experiences can leave scars that are still felt by the mind and body. These fragments that are due to unresolved trauma can impact the choices that we make in the present. We can often get stuck in the trauma or feel that everything is clouded by that past trauma. It’s important to work through these traumas to feel less stuck.
4. Bad Relationships
We are at our core relational beings. If the relationships in our lives are negative and draining, they can perpetuate feelings of being stuck. A University of Utah study found that dependency can play a large role in partners staying in a romantic relationship despite being unhappy. It may be time to take stock of your relationships and let go of ones that don’t bring you happiness.
5. Overwhelmed Emotional Threshold
Emotional thresholds are limit points in human psychology, set in response to stimulus, after which an emotional response will occur. If we reach our emotional threshold, we can’t move forward until that threshold is overcome. To master our emotions and increase our threshold, we can use mindfulness techniques like trying to stay present.
Finding Ways to Work Through Feeling Stuck
Half the battle of getting unstuck is being aware of what is holding you back. By turning to psychology, we can get a better sense of how we can overcome these feelings. Then, we can start to make positive changes in our life.