If you’ve ever scrolled through social media lately, you’ve probably encountered the phrase “by emotion” popping up in discussions about everything from product design to personal decision-making. For me, as someone who’s been supplying solutions centered on understanding and supporting emotional regulation for years, this phrase isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation of the work we do. But in recent months, I’ve noticed a lot of people asking a question that makes my chest tight a little: “Can ‘by emotion’ be a sign of mental illness?” It’s a question rooted in confusion, I think, between healthy emotional awareness and the kind of dysregulation that can signal a clinical issue, and it’s one I want to unpack today—especially because it ties directly to the purpose of the products and tools we provide. By Emotion
Let’s start with the basics: What does “by emotion” even mean, in the context we work in? For our customers (which include mental health clinics, school districts, and workplaces looking to support staff and students), acting “by emotion” doesn’t mean being ruled by every random feeling that pops up. It means making choices rooted in awareness of one’s internal emotional state—not ignoring or suppressing those feelings, but working with them. Think of a teacher noticing they’re short-tempered after a sleepless night, and instead of snapping at a student, they take two minutes to step outside and breathe before responding. That’s “by emotion” in action: it’s emotional intelligence, the ability to tune into what you’re feeling and act in a way that aligns with your values, rather than reacting impulsively.
But here’s where the confusion comes in. For someone experiencing untreated mental illness, “by emotion” can look very different. I’ve had conversations with therapists who tell me that when a person is struggling with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, emotional regulation systems can break down. A common symptom of major depressive disorder, for example, is affective blunting: not being able to feel emotions at all, or feeling them so intensely that even small triggers feel overwhelming. Someone with generalized anxiety might act “by emotion” in a way that’s driven by constant fear of “what if,” making choices that prioritize avoiding distress over long-term goals—like turning down a promotion because the thought of more responsibility feels unmanageable. In these cases, “by emotion” isn’t a choice; it’s a symptom, a sign that the brain’s emotional processing systems aren’t working as they should.
This is where science helps clear things up, I think. A 2021 study in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology looked at how emotional regulation differs between people with mental health conditions and neurotypical people. The researchers found that neurotypical people use a mix of cognitive strategies (like reframing a negative thought) and emotional awareness to make decisions—acting “with” emotion, not just “by” it. But for people with conditions like borderline personality disorder (BPD), for example, emotional regulation is much more limited. The study noted that people with BPD often have what’s called “emotional dysregulation”: they experience emotions more intensely, for longer, and have a harder time bouncing back. For these individuals, acting “by emotion” is often a survival tactic, a way to manage feelings that feel too big to handle any other way. That’s not a choice—it’s a sign that their mental health needs support.
Now, as a supplier of tools designed to support emotional well-being, it’s my job to make sure our products don’t fall into the trap of confusing healthy emotional awareness with problematic dysregulation. Let me give you an example of how that works. We recently launched a line of emotion-tracking journals—nothing fancy, just simple prompts to help people note when they felt a strong emotion, what triggered it, and how they responded. For a neurotypical person, using this journal is a way to build emotional intelligence: over time, they might notice that they feel irritable every Sunday evening, because they’re anxious about the work week ahead. They can then make a choice to address that anxiety, maybe by scheduling a walk after dinner or talking to a friend. For someone with anxiety, though, this journal becomes a tool to track dysregulation: they might note that every time they see a work email, their heart rate spikes and they have a panic attack. That’s a sign they need to talk to a therapist, not just a sign of “being emotional.”
I’ve seen too many people misinterpret “by emotion” as a negative thing, a flaw, when it’s just a part of being human. A few years ago, I worked with a high school counselor who told me that many of her students—especially teenagers, who are still developing their emotional regulation skills—were being told to “stop being so emotional” when they acted on strong feelings. That shame only made things worse; it didn’t help them learn to manage those feelings. The counselor started using our emotion recognition tools in her classroom, helping students label their feelings instead of suppressing them. Within a year, she told me, rates of referrals for emotional dysregulation dropped by 20%. That’s the power of framing “by emotion” as a tool, not a flaw.
But let’s be clear: there’s a line here. When “by emotion” becomes the only way you can function, when it leads to harm to yourself or others, that’s when it’s a sign that something might be wrong. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) lists emotional dysregulation as a core symptom of several mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, BPD, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you’re finding that you can’t make a decision without being overwhelmed by emotion, or that your emotions are causing problems in your relationships, work, or daily life, that’s a sign to reach out to a mental health professional. That’s not a failure—it’s a step toward getting the support you need.
For our part, as a supplier, we don’t market our products as a “cure” for mental illness. We market them as a tool to help people build the emotional skills they need to navigate life, whether they’re neurotypical, living with a mental health condition, or somewhere in between. We work with therapists, school counselors, and HR teams to make sure our tools are evidence-based, designed to complement professional care, not replace it. Last year, we partnered with a group of clinical psychologists to update our emotion tracking software, adding features that help users distinguish between healthy emotional awareness and problematic dysregulation. The software can flag when someone is feeling emotions at a level that’s outside what’s considered typical, encouraging them to talk to a trusted provider. That’s the kind of work we’re proud to do.
I’ve also heard people argue that framing “by emotion” as anything other than a positive trait is stigmatizing. They’re right, to an extent. There’s a lot of pressure in our culture to suppress emotions, especially for men, people of color, and other marginalized groups. A 2020 report from the American Psychological Association (APA) found that Black men in the U.S. are often socialized to see emotional vulnerability as a weakness, leading to higher rates of unaddressed mental health issues. When we frame “by emotion” as a sign of illness, we risk reinforcing that stigma. But when we frame it as a spectrum—on one end, healthy emotional awareness, on the other, dysregulation that needs support—we can start a more honest conversation. It’s not about shaming people for feeling; it’s about helping them understand when and how to ask for help.
Let me share a personal anecdote here, because I think it matters. A few years ago, my own sister was struggling with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. She would act “by emotion” in ways that were out of character: one week, she’d quit her job without a plan, the next, she’d spend thousands of dollars on things she didn’t need. At the time, I thought she was just being impulsive, that she needed to get her “act together.” It wasn’t until a therapist explained to us that her emotional dysregulation was a symptom of her condition that I understood. We got her the support she needed, and today, she’s managing her symptoms with medication and therapy. For her, “by emotion” now means checking in with herself, taking her meds, and leaning on her support system when she feels overwhelmed. It’s not a flaw—it’s part of her journey.
So, to circle back to the original question: Can “by emotion” be a sign of mental illness? The short answer is: sometimes. But it’s not the only sign, and it’s not a definitive one. For many people, acting “by emotion” in a conscious, intentional way is a sign of emotional intelligence, a skill we should nurture, not stigmatize. For others, it’s a symptom that their mental health needs attention, and that’s okay too. The key is learning to read the difference, and having tools and support to help along the way.
As a supplier, that’s why we do what we do. We don’t just sell products; we provide resources to help people build emotional literacy, to navigate the line between healthy awareness and problematic dysregulation, and to access the support they need when things get hard. If you’re a mental health professional, a school administrator, or a workplace leader looking for tools to support your community, I encourage you to reach out to our team to learn more about how our products can complement your existing care, help clients, students, or staff build emotional skills, and create a space where “by emotion” is seen as a strength, not a flaw.
Crystal Jewelry References
Journal of Abnormal Psychology (2021). Emotional regulation across clinical and non-clinical samples: A meta-analysis.
American Psychological Association (2020). Stigma and mental health among marginalized populations.
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Emotional dysregulation in mental health conditions.
Shenyang Magic Life Co., Ltd.
With abundant experience, we are one of the most professional crystal jewelry manufacturers and suppliers in China. Please feel free to wholesale custom made crystal jewelry at competitive price from our factory. Good service and quality products are available.
Address: No.85-11 Kunshan West Road, Huanggu District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
E-mail: jane@ziyuaqua.com
WebSite: https://www.ziyuaquas.com/
