Emotional Security Blanket for Adults: Facing Our Hidden Feelings
On May 16th, 2020, I had the incredible privilege to work with Angela Harper, Founder and CEO of Matters Of The Mind, John Waire of The WaireHouse, Lavonne Sauls of LitWebsies, and Cynthia Schroeder, Executive Liaison at Vaultage. Together, we nurtured a vision Angela had cultivated through months of thoughtful development. It came to life during one of the most emotionally charged periods in modern history—the COVID-19 lockdowns. The experience reminded us how easily adults use an emotional security blanket—whether a routine, object, or habit—to protect themselves from vulnerability.
Emotional security blanket for adults isn’t just a metaphor—it became real that day. As Maryland lifted part of its stay-at-home order on May 15th, we cautiously gathered, masked and socially distanced, hungry for human energy. The room pulsed with raw emotion. Although we were staff, there to facilitate the storytelling of brave therapy participants, we felt like patients ourselves—receiving healing simply by being present.
How a Camera Became an Emotional Blanket
Photographer John Waire shared that he often lifts his camera back into position when things get too emotionally intense. “It’s like my emotional blanket,” he said. The room fell silent. That moment stuck with all of us. His words encapsulated the emotional coping strategies many of us rely on—but rarely admit to.
Psychology Today affirms that adults often use emotional security blankets, though these comfort objects evolve with age. They may not look like a child’s teddy bear, but they serve the same purpose: psychological comfort.
What Adults Use as Emotional Security Blankets
We all have our versions of an emotional blanket: careers, relationships, possessions, beliefs, or food. These comforts often shield us from confronting deeper emotions. During COVID-19, many were forced to reckon with their emotional dependency on such objects.
Emotional Security Blanket vs. Emotional Awareness
Covering our feelings gives short-term relief but prevents us from addressing long-term symptoms. Asking ourselves questions like “Why am I eating?” or “Why am I so irritable?” opens the door to self-awareness. Are we truly living our values—or hiding behind them?
Do You Recognize Your Emotional Blanket?
COVID-19 didn’t just force us indoors. It forced many of us to take inventory of our emotional habits. Masks became both literal and symbolic. Some realized they had been emotionally masked for years. Have you?
If you’re struggling to peel back your emotional layers, we invite you to connect with a therapist in a safe, supportive space.
Written by: Q. Edmonds, M.O.T.M. StoryTeller