Overcoming the Emotinal Hangover: A Spriitual Perspective

Understanding the Emotional HangoverThe Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous defines an emotional hangover as:

"There is another kind of hangover which we all experience whether we are drinking or not. That is the emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday’s and sometimes today’s excesses of negative emotion—anger, fear, jealousy, and the like." (12&12, P. 88)

John Eldredge, in Wild at Heart, highlights a crucial aspect of emotional recovery: "A wound that goes unacknowledged and unwept is a wound that cannot heal."

So how do we take on these emotions without letting them fester into an emotional hangover? The answer lies in self-awareness, spiritual reflection, and seeking divine assistance.

Facing Darkness Before Finding LightCarl Jung wrote: "One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious."

This means that healing begins by acknowledging our struggles, rather than suppressing them. Similarly, the Stoic philosopher Epictetus reminds us: "Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems." 

Helen Keller offers a hopeful perspective: "Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it."

And Buddha reinforces the power of thought and belief: "What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create."

Spiritual Solutions to Emotional HealingThe Bible and Latter-day Saint theology provide profound guidance on overcoming emotional burdens:

    “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” — James 1:2-3

    “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18

    “All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” — Doctrine & Covenants 122:7

    “And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious.” — Doctrine & Covenants 78:19

These scriptures emphasize faith, gratitude, and recognizing trials as experiences that refine us.

Overcoming Emotional Hangovers Through ChristEmotional burdens often persist when we hold onto denial, resentment, or fear. However, healing comes when we:

1. Acknowledge the source – Self-awareness removes denial.
2. Practice gratitude – Shifting focus from suffering to blessings transforms our mindset.
3. Rely on a Higher Power – Through Jesus Christ, we can find peace, forgiveness, and renewal.
4. Serve others – Giving to others redirects our focus and fosters joy.
5. Adopt an eternal perspective – Understanding that our trials serve a greater purpose helps us endure them with faith

    As we apply these principles, we find that emotional hangovers are not insurmountable. Through self-awareness, gratitude, and trust in God’s plan, we can transform emotional struggles into stepping stones for spiritual growth and lasting joy.