If you got a deep cut, you would clean it and apply a bandage. But what do you do when you experience emotional pain—like rejection or failure? We have been taught how to maintain our physical health and practice dental hygiene since childhood. But how much do we really know about maintaining our psychological well-being? Why do we devote more time to caring for our teeth than nurturing our minds?

We experience psychological injuries—such as failure, rejection, or loneliness—even more frequently than physical ones. And just like physical wounds, they can worsen if left untreated, significantly affecting our lives. Yet, despite scientifically proven methods to heal these emotional wounds, we often neglect them. Imagine telling someone with a severe infection, "Just ignore it; your immune system will take care of it." Yet, when it comes to emotional pain, we dismiss it with, "Oh, you are feeling depressed? Get over it."

The problem: why we ignore emotional pain - People often prioritise physical health over mental health because emotional wounds are not as visible as physical injuries. Winch (2014) explains that while most people instinctively treat a physical wound, they fail to recognise psychological wounds like rejection or failure, allowing them to worsen over time. Unlike physical injuries, the consequences of emotional pain often appear gradually. Nolen-Hoeksema (1991) found that unresolved emotional pain can lead to rumination and increased risk of depression, but because the impact is not immediate, people tend to dismiss it until it becomes overwhelming.

The consequences of neglecting emotional wounds - Emotional wounds, like rejection, leave a deep psychological impact, distorting our perceptions and clouding our thoughts. They make us believe that others care about us far less than they actually do. This fear holds us back from reaching out—after all, why risk more rejection and heartache when you are already struggling with pain that feels unbearable?

You can be in a sea full of people and still feel lonely because it depends solely on whether you feel emotionally or socially disconnected from those around you. Loneliness does not just make you miserable—it can be life-threatening. Research shows that chronic loneliness increases the risk of early death by 14%. It contributes to high blood pressure and high cholesterol and even weakens the immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to illness.

Like loneliness, failure is also a psychological wound that distorts and misleads us. A lot of people who fail at something start believing, "I am not smart enough. I will never succeed." By neglecting emotional wounds, we often get stuck in a habit called rumination. It is what happens when you make a mistake, and you can not stop replaying the moment in your mind. Ruminating in this way can become a very unhealthy habit, putting you at risk for clinical depression, alcoholism, eating disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

How to practise emotional first aid - Be attentive to emotional pain — recognise it when it happens. Cognitive reframing helps—change "I failed" to "I can learn from this". Monitor your self-esteem and practice self-compassion. Kristin Neff (2003) found self-compassion reduces anxiety, depression, and rumination. Disrupt negative thoughts with a positive distraction. And just as we see a doctor for physical injuries, seek professional help for emotional distress.

Next time you face emotional pain, will you ignore it or treat it with the care it deserves?

The writer is a Bangladeshi student of BA Psychology at the University of Pune, India. Email: [email protected]