Feelings vs Emotions

We all have feelings. We all have emotions. And yes, they are different.

Emotions and feelings can motivate our behaviour - both in the way we treat others and the way we treat ourselves. An easy way to understand the difference between emotions and feelings is where they are experienced. Emotions are experienced in your body and feelings are experienced in your mind.

Emotions come first. Emotions are an innate survival mechanism of the human race. Because emotions are innate, they are largely universal and are thought to be laced into our DNA. Emotions play a large role in your body’s threat and reward detection systems. This connection with threat and reward is significantly responsible for human adaptation and continual existence. When your brain registers a stimulus, it elicits an emotion. For example, think of a time when you saw a snake, spider, toad or something that makes you jump. Your immediate reaction to this stimulus was fear. This fear was activated by neurotransmitters and hormones throughout your body. Because it was activated by your threat response system, you had no conscious input into experiencing the fear, it just happened. It’s pretty amazing to think that over tens of thousands of years of human existence, every human has felt fear – in the exact same way you have. The human threat and reward system is pretty incredible. Because your emotions are physical occurrences in your body, they are actually measurable through analysing brain activity, posture and blood flow. Generally, you cannot hide your emotions because they are unconscious and happen in an instant. So, if you look, facial expressions always show someone’s immediate emotional response to an event or stimulus.

In contrast, your feelings are a few seconds behind… at least. Feelings are not as universal as you would think. This is because they are not innate like emotions, your feelings are based on your personal life experiences. Your feelings reflect your own personal, unique association with certain situations and stimuli. Feelings are conscious and subjective; they are influenced by memories, beliefs and values. Feelings are more easily hidden than emotions because they are consciously experienced and are not as immediate. It can be much easier to cover up feelings with a fake smile or laugh than you could an emotion. Feelings also linger with you much longer than an emotion. Feelings can lurk around inside your mind for hours, days and even years after the event has passed. It’s important to know that feelings cannot be measured or observed as precisely as emotions. So, if you can’t find an appropriate word for something you’re experiencing, that’s okay – maybe it hasn’t been invented yet. It does not mean your feelings and experiences are invalid.  

Think of your emotions as a flame and your feelings like a sparkler; your emotions spark your feelings. The emotion may last only a few seconds – much like the flame – but the feeling lasts much longer, is much brighter and can be harder to ignore. Being able to identify the difference between emotions and feelings can help you to interrupt negative or irrational feelings that follow an emotion. Doing this can help you to make more helpful, adaptive behaviour changes that benefit your wellbeing.