Actor Celina Jaitly recently shared a personal note reflecting on her emotional struggles and healing amid an ongoing divorce battle. In November last year, she filed a case against her Austrian husband, Peter Haag, accusing him of domestic violence, cruelty and manipulation, and sought ₹50 crore in compensation, just weeks after being served divorce papers. Her post offers a glimpse into the emotional toll such experiences can take.Opening up about her journey, Celina wrote, “#healing If you see me… If you see me living happily, eating my favourite food, smiling in a beautiful dress… just let me be. You didn’t see the nights I cried alone. You didn’t see the days I felt completely empty. You don’t know how many times I almost gave up on myself. I fought quiet battles no one noticed. I learned how to survive on my own.” She further shared, “So when you see me laughing now… know this didn’t come easy. This smile was built through pain. This peace… I earned it 懶✨ For all those navigating pain, heartbreak or trauma… hear me when I say this, because I’ve lived it… If life feels unclear right now, don’t chase the world… come back to yourself. Choose to heal. Choose to grow. Choose to become stronger, calmer, more present, more confident… one day at a time.” Emphasising the gradual nature of recovery, she added, “When you start becoming your best self… life has a way of opening the right doors for you. And yes… You will still cry at night. But that’s okay. Crying is not weakness… it is release. And one day… the tears will dry 懶✨ From my lips to God’s ears.”Celina, who married the entrepreneur and hotelier in 2010, is a mother to three sons: twin boys Winston and Viraaj, born in 2012, and Arthur, born in 2017. Why some people continue to feel intense emotions even when they appear to be coping well externally“Because coping externally often means adapting behaviour, not fully processing emotion,” says Sonal Khangarot, licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, The Answer Room. She adds that many people learn to function — go to work, socialise, stay productive — while internally suppressing or compartmentalising distress. The nervous system doesn’t equate performance with healing; unprocessed grief, attachment wounds, or chronic stress can remain stored in the body and resurface as emptiness or sudden breakdowns.There’s also a split between the “functional self” and the “emotional self” — one manages life, she says, the other carries unresolved pain. When there isn’t enough safe space, time, or support to feel emotions fully, they don’t disappear; they go underground. “Over time, this creates a sense of disconnection or numbness despite outward stability. Additionally, cultural reinforcement of being strong can discourage vulnerability, prolonging internal distress,” notes Khangarot. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Celina Jaitly (@celinajaitlyofficial)Rebuilding sense of self-worth and emotional stability after experiencing prolonged emotional distressRebuilding self-worth after prolonged distress isn’t about “fixing” yourself, stresses Khangarot, it’s about restoring a relationship with yourself that may have been eroded over time. Emotional pain, especially from loss or relationship breakdowns, often distorts core beliefs (“I’m not enough,” “I’m unlovable”). Healing begins by gently identifying and questioning these narratives rather than accepting them as truth.Khangarot explains, “Stability comes from consistency, not intensity. Small, repeated acts—keeping promises to yourself, maintaining routines, showing up for daily life—help rebuild internal trust. Regulating the nervous system through movement, rest, and grounding reduces emotional volatility, making it easier to respond rather than react.”Story continues below this adEqually important is a safe connection. Being seen and valued in healthy relationships (including therapy) can slowly reshape self-perception. Engaging in activities that create mastery or meaning also restores a sense of competence.“Over time, self-worth shifts from being externally validated to internally anchored—less about how you’re treated, and more about how you relate to yourself, even on difficult days,” concludes Khangarot.