What Are the 5 Negative Emotions In NLP?

Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a type of therapy that is very popular because it targets the subconscious.

So, instead of actively having to think about changing your behavior and attitude in situations, NLP allows you to train your brain to subconsciously make the change. 

NLP is a very popular form of therapy, especially among people who aren’t huge fans of talking therapies.

While NLP is a talking therapy, it doesn’t require participants to disclose as much information about themselves as other forms of therapy – such as CBT – do. For some people, this makes NLP a more desirable therapy than others. 

In particular, to train your subconscious, NLP focuses on 5 negative emotions. In this guide, we’ll take a look at what these 5 emotions are in more detail. Read on to find out more! 

What Is NLP?

First things first, let’s take a look at what NLP is. As we have established, NLP stands for Neurolinguistic Programming and is a type of therapy. 

NLP is a different type of therapy from some of the other common therapies that exist today due to the fact that it targets the subconscious mind.

This differs from a lot of other therapies, as a lot of other types of therapy require you to actively think about changing your behavior, and this is something that can be tricky if you are experiencing strong emotions. 

NLP is a talking therapy, and it requires the participant to speak to the therapist about situations that they have found themselves in. However, it doesn’t require the participant to disclose a lot of information in order for the therapy to work.

Instead, through NLP, the therapy will generally work, even if the participant only discloses a small amount of information. 

Generally, NLP is a type of therapy that is used to help people who are suffering from clinical symptoms of stress, anxiety, or depression. When used correctly, this therapy has been just as effective as medication for some people.

So, this therapy can be incredibly effective as long as the participant is committed. Now, let’s take a look at the 5 negative emotions that are addressed in this therapy. 

What Are the 5 Negative Emotions In NLP?

Now, let’s take a look at what the 5 main negative emotions that are addressed in NLP are. They include the following.

Anger

Anger is the first emotion that is addressed through NLP. Anger can be one of the most negative emotions and it can cause individuals to make rash decisions and act out of character. 

It is a very intense emotion, and when you are feeling very angry, it is difficult to stop yourself from feeling that emotion. That is why alternative therapies aren’t always the most effective when targeting this emotion. 

However, as NLP targets the subconscious, it can train your body not to react intensely to anger. That is why this emotion is one of the big 5 negative emotions addressed through NLP.

Hurt

Another very negative emotion that can cause us to react unpredictably is hurt. Hurt is one of the worst emotions that we can feel and that is because it is a very painful emotion. 

It is an emotion that can lead us to experience other emotions, which is why it can impact how we behave and react very unpredictably. But NLP can train your subconscious to react in a certain way to hurt and pain, and prevent you from reacting unpredictably. 

Through NLP, the participant and the therapist will discuss how to react to hurt, and this will help the participant moving forward. 

Sadness

Sadness is an emotion that we might feel independently, but it is also an emotion that can stem from feeling hurt. It is also an emotion linked to a number of mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.

Sadness can exhibit itself in a lot of ways as everybody reacts differently to this emotion. If you are feeling upset about something, then you may cry.

But you may also react in a totally different way. A lot of people try to block out their sadness, and this can lead them down a dangerous path.

NLP will help the participant address their sadness and react to it appropriately, leading them to make better decisions when sad. 

Fear

Another negative emotion is fear. It is normal to feel fear, but it is also very easy to allow your fear to take over your life.

If your fear is preventing you from taking steps toward your dreams in life, then that fear is a negative emotion and it is one that you need to work against. 

NLP can help participants to move past their fear and handle their fear appropriately. Fear can drive you towards great things, but it can also hold you back.

Through NLP, you will be able to work at controlling your fear without actively having to do so.

While it might not be the first emotion that you think of when you hear someone say “negative emotions”, fear really does have the potential to disrupt your life. 

Guilt

Finally, NLP works to address guilt. Guilt is the last of the big 5 emotions addressed in NLP, and it really is one of the most important.

If you are feeling guilty about something, it is very easy for that guilt to take over your life and make you react negatively to situations. 

Guilt is a very difficult emotion to navigate. There are lots of different types of guilt, and it is an emotion that humans sometimes experience even when there really isn’t a reason for them to be feeling guilty.

It is an emotion that is a lot more common than you might realize. 

NLP allows the participant to deal with their guilt appropriately and prevent it from impacting their life in the way that this emotion can when it is not controlled. 

Why Is It Important To Discuss Negative Emotions?

Before we wrap this up, let’s quickly touch on why it is so important to discuss and address negative emotions. Negative emotions can hugely impact your life, and they can impact the way that you react in certain situations.

Learning how to handle negative emotions can really help the way that you handle difficult situations, and reduce the impact that these emotions have on you mentally. 

Discussing these negative emotions, along with scenarios and situations that have been important in your life, will allow the NLP therapist to give you the tools to react in a more positive manner in the future.

Instead of being controlled by negative emotions, and allowing these to impact your health, you will be able to react in a healthier way to these emotions. That is one of the main goals of NLP. 

Summary

In short, NLP targets 5 specific negative emotions. Those emotions are anger, hurt, sadness, fear, and guilt. 

These 5 negative emotions are some of the most triggering emotions, and they can cause us to react in ways that we may not want to. That is why NLP can really help people, and allow them to react in the right way, rather than the wrong way. 

Thanks for reading!