Understanding emotional hijacking and its implications - emotional psychology

Emotional hijacking is a phenomenon described by Daniel Goleman that occurs when an intense, usually negative, emotion dominates brain activity, causing automatic and disproportionate responses that make rational decision-making difficult. This phenomenon takes place primarily in the amygdala, a brain structure involved in emotional processing.

Main characteristics of emotional hijacking:

• Rapid and intense activation: The emotional response is triggered almost instantaneously, often before the cerebral cortex can rationally analyze the situation.
• Impulsive reaction: The resulting behaviors are often disproportionate, such as outbursts of anger, paralyzing fear, or intense anxiety.
• Difficulty reflecting: During an emotional hijacking, logical and analytical thinking is temporarily blocked, limiting the ability to solve problems effectively.

Understanding this mechanism is crucial to developing skills that allow you to avoid or manage these episodes, favoring more conscious and adaptive responses.

Strategies to prevent and manage emotional hijacking:

• Increase Emotional awareness: Identify early signs of intense emotional activation to intervene promptly.
• Practice self-regulation techniques: Such as controlled breathing or reflective pause before reacting.
• Develop emotional resilience: Through strengthening social skills, cognitive reinterpretation, and stress management.

By understanding and working on emotional hijacking, it is possible to significantly improve the quality of personal relationships, decision-making, and overall psychological well-being.