When several powerful and sometimes negative emotions appear simultaneously and cause a cognitive meltdown. The person usually acts harshly as a result or sometimes simply shuts down for a time as a result.
He told her she looked nice today but she immediately thought of all the men who had been abusive to her so her emotional epilepsy caused a strange reaction because she spit on him.
by itkillz July 25, 2017
Get the emotional epilepsymug. Emotional Minesweeper is a situation in which you are unable to predict how a person will react to your actions or statements. In this situation, you may "step on an emotional landmine" and be blindsided by the person you're interacting with "blowing up" at you. It's so unexpected that they misinterpret your confusion for a lack of empathy, adding fuel to the fire.
To avoid putting someone in Emotional Minesweeper, evaluate whether or not they could have predicted that their words or actions would have hurt you. It's generally safer to ask if they have relevant context, and explain how you feel to them in a way they can understand. Generally, if people know how you feel and why you feel that way, they will do their best to be supportive and respectful. More often than not, people don't know they're doing anything wrong.
A popular synonym is "walking on eggshells."
To avoid putting someone in Emotional Minesweeper, evaluate whether or not they could have predicted that their words or actions would have hurt you. It's generally safer to ask if they have relevant context, and explain how you feel to them in a way they can understand. Generally, if people know how you feel and why you feel that way, they will do their best to be supportive and respectful. More often than not, people don't know they're doing anything wrong.
A popular synonym is "walking on eggshells."
"Hey are you doing ok?"
"I could be better. I've been playing Emotional Minesweeper with my mom all weekend, and it's taking a toll on me."
"That's not good. Does she even tell you what you did wrong?"
"She never tells me until after I make the mistake, and she always rages hard about it."
"Dude, you should probably talk to the school counselor. This sounds like abuse, and they may be able to give you resources to help you navigate the situation."
"You sound way too smart for a high-schooler."
"This isn't real, John. We're an example in an Urban Dictionary definition."
"I could be better. I've been playing Emotional Minesweeper with my mom all weekend, and it's taking a toll on me."
"That's not good. Does she even tell you what you did wrong?"
"She never tells me until after I make the mistake, and she always rages hard about it."
"Dude, you should probably talk to the school counselor. This sounds like abuse, and they may be able to give you resources to help you navigate the situation."
"You sound way too smart for a high-schooler."
"This isn't real, John. We're an example in an Urban Dictionary definition."
by Majestical Discomfort May 7, 2024
Get the Emotional Minesweepermug. The feeling of being overwhelmed by virtual love and affection from another person but without a viable outlet to express this love, so you end up feeling sad and alone.
Friend 1: Ugh, i’m getting major emotional blue balls right now from my long-distance girlfriend.
Friend 2: What? Why?
Friend 1: look at this sweet paragraph she just sent.
Friend 2: What? Why?
Friend 1: look at this sweet paragraph she just sent.
by haileyray June 21, 2021
Get the emotional blue ballsmug. A poor person in a movie about rich people who only exists to teach the wealth-scarred protagonist(s) how to feel or act like humans
“Sam has such a loving family and he’s got his act together. It’s almost like he’s the rich guy instead of Derrick”
“Sam’s family showed up once on screen, and he has no problems or personality of his own. He’s just an emotional support poor.”
“Sam’s family showed up once on screen, and he has no problems or personality of his own. He’s just an emotional support poor.”
by Sapphic_Santana March 20, 2022
Get the emotional support poormug. by VioletDeaths February 14, 2022
Get the emotismmug. by 4rat October 29, 2023
Get the fish emotionsmug. Just as color perception (and in turn blindness) exists on a spectrum, so too does the ability to experience emotions.
Most people who experience color deficiency, do not have issues with all color (red and green are most common). Color blindness can also come with heightened awareness in other areas...like better than average night vision or a keener sense of smell.
These details parallel well when describing people with emotional deficiencies, in that:
(1.) Someone on the spectrum for narcissistic traits, often still keenly feels rage, envy, hatred and fear.
(2.) Narcissists experience the above emotions more often and at greater intensity than the average person, BECAUSE they lack the ability to feel other emotions (like empathy) which might otherwise (ironically) diminish and balance those feelings out.
(3.) Even a full blown psychopath with no neurotypical fear response, (I.E. only feels an adrenaline rush) is not 100% emotionally colorblind. They still experience pleasure in a limited, ego driven sort of way. If this were not the case, they would have no motivation to do anything, (including anything bad.)
(4.) Total lack of emotional feeling and complete colorblindness, are both incredibly rare, and can signal something more serious...like a brain injury or a neurological condition.
Most people who experience color deficiency, do not have issues with all color (red and green are most common). Color blindness can also come with heightened awareness in other areas...like better than average night vision or a keener sense of smell.
These details parallel well when describing people with emotional deficiencies, in that:
(1.) Someone on the spectrum for narcissistic traits, often still keenly feels rage, envy, hatred and fear.
(2.) Narcissists experience the above emotions more often and at greater intensity than the average person, BECAUSE they lack the ability to feel other emotions (like empathy) which might otherwise (ironically) diminish and balance those feelings out.
(3.) Even a full blown psychopath with no neurotypical fear response, (I.E. only feels an adrenaline rush) is not 100% emotionally colorblind. They still experience pleasure in a limited, ego driven sort of way. If this were not the case, they would have no motivation to do anything, (including anything bad.)
(4.) Total lack of emotional feeling and complete colorblindness, are both incredibly rare, and can signal something more serious...like a brain injury or a neurological condition.
I've never heard someone say they wish they were colorblind, but I've heard a ton of people say they wish they lacked certain feelings, because they think it would solve all their problems. This is kind of like thinking you could avoid getting stuck in traffic if you no longer saw the red in a red light. Emotion is not the heart of the problem.
Emotional color blindness might very well take away things like: codependence, trauma responses and making personal sacrifices for conscientious decisions...but it would also diminish your capacity for joy and your ability to have meaningful relationships with anybody.
Better to sort out the kinks, then throw the whole baby out with the bathwater.
Emotional color blindness might very well take away things like: codependence, trauma responses and making personal sacrifices for conscientious decisions...but it would also diminish your capacity for joy and your ability to have meaningful relationships with anybody.
Better to sort out the kinks, then throw the whole baby out with the bathwater.
by Olive989 March 15, 2023
Get the Emotional Color Blindnessmug.