Regulating Emotions with Inside Out 2

As we grow up, our lives become more complicated, and so do our emotions. I like to think of it as a spider's web; just as a spider works tirelessly to weave a perfect web, we humans work just as hard to make our lives look perfect on the outside... even when deep down inside, things might be tangled or fragile or maybe even at a breaking point.

That's where Inside Out 2 really hits home. This movie delves deep into the chaos of growing up, exploring how new emotions unexpectedly show up, old ones fighting for space, and suddenly, the simple "core memories" from childhood feel very complicated. Watching how Riley's mind transforms reminded me that regulating emotions in life isn't about pushing the messy ones away, but learning how they can all coexist together without tearing the web apart!

As we grow older, we rarely experience only one emotion at a time. Instead, we feel a mix of different emotions simultaneously. For example, you might feel excited about a new opportunity but also nervous about the challenges it brings, or you could feel happy for your friend's achievement but also a little envious. This blend of emotions is known as emotional complexity, where different feelings are experienced simultaneously in a particular situation, creating rich experiences. 

It is therefore crucial to develop the ability to identify, label, and differentiate these subtle emotional blends. This is known as emotional granularity, and it enables us to understand ourselves better and respond in healthier, more intentional ways. 

Riley's Headquarters is suddenly "under renovation," and with this change come four new emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui. Each one reflects the complicated feelings we all experience as teenagers and adults. These new emotions disrupt Riley's headquarters and challenge the OG team, revealing how complex growing up really is. With these new arrivals, the control room becomes uncontrollable at first. Let’s meet each of them and see why they matter. 

• Anxiety prepares us for the future by imagining possible outcomes and motivates us to plan ahead, but when it takes over, it can leave us restless, overthinking and expecting the worst to happen. 

Example: Feeling nervous before exam week and making detailed timetables to prepare, but losing sleep over the "what ifs". 

• Envy shows us what we desire by comparing ourselves with others, sometimes motivating us to improve, but it can also leave us feeling extremely bad about ourselves and jealous towards others.

Example: Feeling envious when a friend gets chosen for a group project you wanted, which pushes you to work harder, but also leaves a twinge of jealousy.

• Embarrassment keeps us aware of our social situations, reminding us when we’ve made a mistake or been noticed in a way we didn’t want. It encourages us to blend into the crowd rather than stand out, but it can also make us overly self-conscious and can hold us back from taking chances. 

Example: Accidentally mispronouncing a word in class, laughing it off, and learning, but also replaying that moment all day in your head.

• Ennui (Boredom in French), where nothing feels exciting enough to do. It pushes us to seek new experiences, challenges, or meaning in our lives. While it can inspire creativity, self-reflection, and change, it can also make us feel disengaged or disconnected from what’s happening around us. 

Example: Doing the same task or activity over and over again, which makes you feel like not doing the task and looking for something different to do.

This quote reflects the core of C.H. Cooley's Looking Glass Self theory, which states that our self-concept is shaped by how we think others see us. Riley’s experiences in Inside Out 2 illustrate this perfectly. For instance, she dyes a strand of her hair red to blend in with the popular girls at hockey camp, showing how her sense of self is influenced not just by her own feelings, but by the reflections she perceives in the eyes of others, exactly as Cooley described. Another example is when Riley sneaks into the coach’s room at night and reads the coach’s notes about her performance. She is curious about how the coach perceives her, and she allows this imagined judgment to shape her self-image, further demonstrating how our self-concept is intertwined with how we think others see us. 

After the renovations, The Originals soon realise that the control panel has been tampered with, and that the new emotions do not recognise them, to such an extent that Anxiety locks them up in a jar and eventually ejects them from the Headquarters, so that her "plan" for Riley is executed without any disturbances. 

Without the guidance of the original team, Riley’s mind becomes chaotic. Anxiety, fueled with a cup of coffee, starts calling the shots, and Riley slowly becomes a different version of herself. She distances herself from her best friends, Bree and Grace, preferring instead to spend time with the “cool girls” from hockey camp. On the field, she stops passing the puck to her teammates, treating hockey more like a solo sport rather than a team effort. Her focus shifts from enjoying the game with friends to proving herself, trying to meet the impossible standards Anxiety sets for her. This goes to show how an overpowering emotion can alter one person's personality completely within a short span of time. 

Anxiety also discourages other emotions from regulating the control panel. Embarrassment, which usually signals when Riley should take a step back or laugh off a mistake, is silenced, causing Riley to push herself even harder instead of recognising her limits. Envy, instead of celebrating Riley's small milestones and using them as motivation for growth, is scolded by Anxiety, overwhelming her and turning those instances into resentment toward friends who appear more confident. Even Ennui, who might have reminded Riley to slow down and not care so much about every tiny detail, is silenced, leaving Riley with no escape from the pressure building inside. 

When the Originals finally return to Headquarters after facing several obstacles, Joy realises that Anxiety has spiralled into full-blown panic mode, trying to execute the 'perfect plan,' but forgetting that imperfections make someone perfect! She also understands that, regardless of whether emotions are positive or negative, each one is essential for shaping Riley into who she truly is. Joy finally helps Anxiety not by shutting her out, but by showing her that Riley does not need an ideal plan of life; instead, she needs the freedom to choose what her plan is according to her actions. 

Just like Riley in Inside Out 2, we all, at some point, juggle with our emotions and sometimes feel overwhelmed. This is where emotional regulation matters the most, because isn't life all about decoding those tricky situations while being as cool as a cucumber! Inside Out 2 shows that managing emotions isn't about suppressing them; it's about learning to balance them all at once. 

Ever wondered why some people are go-getters while others just go with the flow? Or why some stress over every little detail while others stay chill no matter what? 

Stay tuned to PsychLens, because in my next post, we’re diving into personality types with Modern Family! 

Saina Chakrabarti - Creator of PsychLens