Question: how can emotions be regulated ?

Joe Bathelt answered on 9 Nov 2016:

Emotions are fairly automatic. They are basic response programs that helped our ancestors to survive. Unfortunately, we have little direct control over our emotions, which makes it very difficult to just ‘snap out of it’. However, you can control your thinking and your behaviour. So, you could avoid situations that trigger emotions (behaviour). Or you could change your attitude towards a situation (thinking). For example, if seeing spider causes you fear, then you could avoid going to basements or use your reasoning to conclude that they are not going to hurt you. Fortunately, emotions are usually quite fleeting so that you can sometimes just wait for them to dissipate.