Emotional Detox

[bodaflower]

Could anyone tell me more about emotional detox, what it is, and your experiences with it?

This is my seventh day raw, I have no cravings and I'm doing great with the diet but my emotions are weird..I was really sad this morning and I almost started crying because the spinach I was juicing was getting caught in the side of the juicer..:rolleyes:

[bodaflower]

somebody :rolleyes: i know at least one person has gone through this

[eatyourbroccoli]

my worst emotional detox i BAWLED for 2 hours straight. literally. non-stop. to the point i kept thinking i was going to pass out. with my boyfriend sitting next to me freaking out and trying to calm me down.

weirdest experience ever.

[dreamrawalwz]

For me it was anxiety/deeper depression (a short duration) and overwhelming sense of being well, overwhelmed lol.

[Cherry-tree]

Hello! No, you are not the only one who has gone through this/is going through it. I do not know a lot of the details of it from a theoretical point of view, but I will have a feeling of wanting to cry and then laugh and then feel so bright and alive and then feeling terrible and awful and then begin weeping. Bizarre...;)

[bodaflower]

How far along are you guys in your raw journey when you were/are going through this?

[Sophia]

Hi Bodaflower!
I am eating raw since more than a week , I think, not 100% raw though, but I also experience some "weird" things. I am usually a very calm person and with a lot of patience. But these days I feel like snaping from anything, and I am kind of frustrated and disappointed with myself, because it isn't me. Last night I felt like smashing all the plates on the floor!:( I jst felt so overwhelmed with what's happening in my life now. and i was wondering what is happening to me, that I am so irritable, i feel so tired all the time and dizzy ( or i would say light-headed, something like that )
i hope it won't last too long, because i don't like it. i feel kind of depressed and angry. what a mixture... But in my case, i don't think it is just the emotional detox.

[bodaflower]

I don't think in my case it's only the detox, either, because I am going through some things with my family as well. But I just feel a lot more inclined to start crying if they yell at me or something whereas normally I wouldn't

[amyambro1]

This will certainly pass, bodaflower. Just remember to let those feelings go rather than stuff them back down. Really allow yourself to feel those feelings because they have been stuck in your cells for so long and need to come out. Soon, you will be feeling light as a feather and much more carefree about whatever comes your way. Being raw will help you deal with difficult things better than if you weren't raw. Stick with it, be patient, and it only gets better.

[bodaflower]

Thanks :) I can definitely feel the emotions moving back out of my body! I used to have a problem with suppressing what i was feeling...I guess I would have rathered to just not deal with it than spend half an hour crying...but letting them out feels so good!

[bodaflower]

From the Sunfood Diet:


As the lymph unburdens itself of undigested proteins, toxins, chemicals, and other undesirable elements, the substances flow into the bloodstream. Instantly a poison may be all over the circulatory system before it is filtered out as waste. This is why some may have sudden cold or hot flashes, fevers, diarrhea, rashes, desires for poor foods, tastes of old medicines, mucus discharges and other symptoms, while detoxifying. These phsyical eliminations also carry with them a variety of emotional releases, such as anxiety, depresssion, and other imbalances. These are good signs - you want those poisonous substances and emotions out of your body. Don't worry about them, embrace them as part of the detoxification process. Other detoxficiation symptoms may include: bad breath, coughs, cold symptoms, drowsiness, headaches, momentary aches, nausea, unclear thinking and/or weight loss.

[kyrie]

When I was 18 I went vegan, and a large proportion of my diet I now realise was raw fruit,nuts, seeds and veg, as it was easy for me to get.

My family on both sides come from a farming background, so we normally ate what came off the family farm, and from the backyard orchard and gardens.

Now I come from a very abusive background.

I didn't go through much emotional detox, because I fasted once a week, every week.

Strangely enough that cleared alot of emotions, and made me emotionally resilient.

Because I was eating healthy,and fasting, and meditating, I was always on an emotional high. No matter what happened at home, it was water off a duck's back, and I always had a radiant sparkle in my eyes, which pissed my mother off no end.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel with emotional detox.

Yep it is worth it.

Carla.

[RawVegan4Health]

My emotions were more variable there for a while. I would get mroe cranky at times, or feel really down sometimes. Other times I felt like I was king of the universe. I found it stabilizes as you stay raw longer, and get more variable when you backtrack. For me, luckily, the feelings were never overwhelming or got in the the way of anything, but it was still a very noticable difference to myself and those around me.

[Nurse in the Raw]

I get very irritable when I am detoxing.....ask my children.

[Sophia]

I am as well that kind of person who doesn't show the feelings, especially the negative ones. So, if I get upset or angry i usually keep it inside, trying to supress it. and right now, it feels like I can not supress it anymore, that I have to let it out or i lose my mind.

[katacykls]

I am here with all of you, sharing the joy, pain and overwhelming feelings of detoxification. I think that detoxification is a process of growth. Ones body is literally growing into a new direction and into a new/ different style of living. Meaning, that we are leaving behind some of our old patterns and habits we have accumulated over time. These patterns had become what we familiarize and oftencharacterize as ourselves. Letting go of parts of what we think are or belong to us is difficult and at times as most of us have experience is very painful. I am glad and very excited to let go of any of the old patterns that I had gained and consciously or uncon. labeled and accepted as mine. I feel that I am begining to see different sides of myself that act with more confidence, spontaneity, and truth. So more love growth, stenght, and detox to you all. Stay strong love, Karla

[Blossom]

I also went through a very painfull emotional detox and a feeling of deep sadness of leaving the familiar behind and walking towards something new and unfamiliar, I am over the worse but still have a bit to go. It is such a comfort to know I am not alone and we can all go forward to being better versions of ourselfs.

[tisha]

I cannot speak to a raw detox, but I do have some experience with detox. I have done lots of cleansing over the past few years. I have done several colon and liver cleanses. I also use essential oils. Essential oils are amazing to use when you are going through an emotional time. Essential oils are the blood of the plant. They speak directly to the blood of the body, our blood cells. When you detox, as has been stated, your body goes on an emotional roller-coaster sometimes. There are some really good essential oils to help get over the rough patches.

Lavender, lemon, peppermint, jasmine, sandalwood, rose, are just a few that I use when I am having a down day. Be sure that they are 100% pure theraputic grade (for healing purposes). You DO NOT want a synthetic oil. What would be the point?

For instance, rub lavender on your temples, behind the ears, over the heart, bottom of feet or wherever you feel inspired to use it. Be still and listen. I have a book called "Feelings Buried Alive Never Die", by Karol Truman. I learned so much from her book about carrying around emotions that if not dealt with, will make you sick. You have to get rid of them. You have to identify them and lovingly let them go. Again, be still and listen to what comes into your mind. Say the words, "I lovingly and willingly let go of the feelings of (anger about my whatever) and replace these feelings with (love, acceptance, understanding, etc whatever). It sounds hokey, but it really does work even if you can not "see" it right away.

[NYbutterfly]

Wow, this thread came at a really good time for me, as I've been feeling very lost and confused as to why I am so down. This is my 6th day 100% raw and I spent 4 hours crying in bed this weekend... I couldn't drag myself to get up. I have felt no physical detox symptoms, so I was afraid this was depression, not detox (I had never heard of an "emotional detox" before).

Now I feel normal, so to speak, and won't beat myself up over the feeling that arise - be it sadness or joy. Thanks everyone :)

[Graciebeliever]

The best way I can describe my emotional detox is that when it happens, I feel Raw! It doesn't last but there are moments and sometimes hours when even the jingle of the phone sets me off and I can almost jump out of my skin. I am a very laid back person and for me to feel this way is really tough. I have noticed that there is a common thread to everyone's comments and that is typically sadness. We need to learn to see and face our sadness in life as it is happening because it is toxic to hold it in.. I try to imagine a time when I am totally free of the buried emotions.. I guess that eating raw is the spade that digs out the old emotions and replaces it with health and positive energy! Yeah sign me up for that! Very comforting to know that I don't stand alone in my emotional detox and wish for everyone for these times to pass quickly :)

[Rawzula]

I've gone through emotional detox...and it wasn't pretty. I was snapping at everyone. I was not a nice person to be around.

After it passed, I felt better:D.

[RawPaw]

I think part of emotional detox isn't the food that we eat.

"Not taking care of ourselves" can be a crutch and a way for us to hold on to so many bad emotions. Now that we're taking care of ourselves, we don't have an excuse to hold on to bad emotions.

Maybe we're addicted to negativity and being healthy exposes this.

[Styls32]

It's funny how this particular thread popped up today. I've been slowly transitioning to raw...maybe not 100% but close (with the exeption of a few awful days). Anyhow my ex from many years called about some issue we had that he just is so bitter about and can't get over. We never handled our separation legally and now I might be stuck with some things. It was funny because before he called I was fine, I was happy. Then he called and emailed and all this negative emotion rose, and even though we kinda ended our conversation civil, I have been having all these negative thoughts about him and other people from my past. I just finally realized that it isn't anyone in particular, or those I feel have done me wrong, it's just pure anger, and I really don't know why it's there. It hides, and I don't believe I have it, and then it rises again. I told my partner the other night, who by the way is the calmest happiest person alive, that I have all this s**t inside, and I need to get rid of it. How do you process it and expel?:confused:

[Mishka]

The first 3 months of 100% raw were very up and down emotionally for me. It felt like my emotions were on the outside of my skin...very exposed! It was very uncomfortable cuz I'm "normally" very happy go-lucky type. And it seemed like I was sensitive to everything! But now 6 months later... everything has evened out. I'm trying to acknowledge when I get upset about things and not stuff them or ignore them also. I am finding this not only brings emotional health, but physical health also :)
It is nothing you should be afraid of....it is a form of "release" and cleansing and that is a good thing. Grab a tissue box and let yourself cry if you need to.

Blessings,
Mishka

[GoingtoRAW]

It seems like the emotional detox is just as important as the physical detox our bodies go through while raw. It's just like as we continue to eat raw foods and release layers and layers of "crap" at different times, our emotions are in layers as well and need to be released the same way. It can be scary. One day I can be on top of the world and totally at peace and the next day I just want to....well...I'm sure you get the picture if you've been through any kind of emotional detox. But since I know what it is I've come to appreciate all of the changes that are happening to me because I feel like it is all making me better. I know that each time I go through a bad spell that I have rid myself of another layer and it makes me appreciate the good times and the good parts of the detox process.:cool:

[Stina]

It's funny how this particular thread popped up today. I've been slowly transitioning to raw...maybe not 100% but close (with the exeption of a few awful days). Anyhow my ex from many years called about some issue we had that he just is so bitter about and can't get over. We never handled our separation legally and now I might be stuck with some things. It was funny because before he called I was fine, I was happy. Then he called and emailed and all this negative emotion rose, and even though we kinda ended our conversation civil, I have been having all these negative thoughts about him and other people from my past. I just finally realized that it isn't anyone in particular, or those I feel have done me wrong, it's just pure anger, and I really don't know why it's there. It hides, and I don't believe I have it, and then it rises again. I told my partner the other night, who by the way is the calmest happiest person alive, that I have all this s**t inside, and I need to get rid of it. How do you process it and expel?:confused:

Any 12 Step recovery program is immensely helpful. Raw coupled with that has transformed my miserable life into a work of joy. There's always Al-Anon for nonalcoholics. You could find an open AA meeting and go to it just to see how people are sincerely spiritually growing and evolving. Feel free to e-mail me if you need someone to talk to.