Thank you for sharing Soph. I believe this is a conundrum we all face. In my experience, being able to let go and be the silent observer of these emotions is overwhelmingly difficult, especially at first, but with practice it becomes more achievable. The ego has always been attached to these mental states and feelings, so it is totally normal to feel this way. The understanding comes to us that as a human, we can learn to identify, separate and compartmentalize ourselves into three categories - thoughts, emotions, and body. When we sit in silence, countless thoughts will assault us, that come from all of the stimulation that we have absorbed from this over-stimulating society, that we have not processed yet. They didn't come from you, and many of them are indeed intended to assault you for the gain of others. The less stimulation that we seek and absorb, the easier this will become. Many thoughts will come from past traumas and experiences. Meditating and allowing these to bubble to the surface will help us to process and heal them in real time. Let me know if this helps at all; I am happy to discuss further. Much peace and love 🙏