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Weekly Theme #4: Internalizing

  • Dec 7, 2025
  • 3 min read

Internalizing Behavior: What is it?


Internalizing behavior is often when an individual turns their distress and negative emotions inward. Some common examples of internalizing behavior could be: negative self-talk, self-blaming, self-harm in risky behavior and physical activities, “punishing” oneself, and isolation from others.

Although internalizing behavior doesn’t immediately mean internalizing disorder, people with strong or persistent internalizing behavior maybe subject to mental illnesses such as depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, borderline personality disorders (BPD) and etc. This goes the other way around too, those with the mentioned illnesses are prone to developing internalizing disorders.



Neurobiology of Internalizing Behavior


Internalizing behavior mainly stems from a deficit in emotional regulation, which is an individuals skill in responding and managing your feelings in a healthy manner.


The limbic system (a major part of the subcortical structures) is a crucial component of emotion regulation with the main parts of the system being the amygdala (the brain’s emotion center, often paired with the flight-or-fight response) and hippocampus (in charge of memory formation and connecting emotions to memories).

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is crucial for decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation. It acts as moderator to make sure you aren’t making strong emotional reactions or impulsive decisions. When the amygdala acts up, flaring large fear-based reactions that could cause these impulsive or emotional reactions, the PFC is often the part of the brain that calms it down.


Emotional dysregulation can be caused by an imbalance between the aforementioned prefrontal cortex and subcortical systems.



Examples of Everyday Internalizing Thoughts


Here are some examples of everyday internalizing thoughts (negative self-talk) that portray internalizing behavior… any you relate to?

  • I tell myself it’s not worth bringing up

  • I naturally assume that I’m overreacting or being emotional

  • I belittle my problems so it seems more acceptable

  • I laugh about my negative thoughts to convince myself it’s not as serious as it seems

  • I turn everything inward and wonder why I’m tired

  • I don’t want to bring these problems up because I don’t want to burden or worry others

  • I don’t want to address my struggles because I don’t want people to label me off as: mentally ill

  • “Just get through today and think about it later”

  • “Other people have it worse, I shouldn’t feel this way.”

  • “I should be able to handle this on my own.”



5 Small Steps to Stop Negative Internalizing


  • Validate your emotions - Stop self-blaming or belittling your problems. Catch yourself when you start thinking “it’s not that bad…” and change it to “this is definitely a struggle I should address”.

  • Express yourself in the moment - By not letting these thoughts be heard, even to yourself, you’ll be just bottling up emotions. Learn to express your real self in the moment.

  • Identify and write down what you fear - All your worries and darkest thoughts, even the “worst case scenarios”, put it all in a list and get it off your chest.

  • Challenge those fears - Write down the best version of yourself who overcame all these fears. Write down everything that could go right—the only limit is your mind.

  • Normalizing needing support - Your body can adjust to anything. Set a goal each day to tell someone, sincerely without laughing it off, something small that’s been on your mind.



References

Hardee, J. E., Cope, L. M., Martz, M. E., & Heitzeg, M. M. (2018). Review of Neurobiological Influences on Externalizing and Internalizing Pathways to Alcohol Use Disorder. Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports, 5(4), 249–262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40473-018-0166-5

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