Calling an emotion “good” or “bad” doesn’t give us a lot of information as to why someone is feeling this way, and it becomes especially hard to be helpful. Different coping strategies and support work for different emotions and so it’s important to be specific about emotions. We want to name them and include nuance.

Invalidation can be exquisitely painful to experience, especially when it’s ongoing or occurring in close relationships. Regardless of the other person’s intentions, invalidation can lead to people not feeling worthy of support, to doubt their own experiences, to feel alone, and to judge their own emotions and thoughts.

Being able to fully experience moments of pleasantness, happiness, and joy is not always a straightforward and easy task. In the short-term, it can feel easier to avoid feeling good in order to not experience feelings of loss or disappointment.