[Discussion] Are we slaves to our emotions?

[Callypigia]

Being a slave to our emotions seems a little extreme. You can break down our thought processes in a Venn diagram:

Spoiler

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Emotional Mind: pure overwhelming emotion with no/limited rational thinking. This leads to impulsive, often self destructive behaviors.
Logical Mind: pure cold calculating rational thought with no/limited influence by emotion. For some this seems optimal, but you will find that it causes a lot of social problems, and to an extreme case even losing the ability to empathize or sympathize with others.
Wise Mind: a balance of awareness and influence of our emotions and rational thought.

Naturally the goal is to find balance between our emotions and logic. This is accomplished in many ways, but it starts with awareness/mindfulness of our thought patterns and feelings. Over time they can become obfuscated and intertwined. Try stepping out of yourself, objectively look at a situation where you became overly emotional. What were you thinking, what was your body doing, what were your emotions? Try going deeper than Sad, Mad, Glad, Scared. You can't control your emotions, but you can change your thought patterns and control your behaviors.

 

[SIR UZMAKIMADARA]

Why did you quote me?

I was just curious to know the reason behind it

 

[Belserion]

I was just curious to know the reason behind it

:WAT: don't feel bad
It was just a joke reply D:

I quoted him first to reply but thought like "nahh whatever" XD

 

[nefraiko]

I'm a slave of my ****

 

[Hyun ryu]

Thoughts and emotions interact, and while thoughts can be translated into action, what can happen is that events outside our control evoke an emotional response, to which our thoughts are in fact responses:

Event --> emotional responses --> thoughts --> behaviour

People with mood disorders tend to become enmeshed in loops of the following form where emotions and thoughts feedback into each other:

Event --> negative emotional responses --> negative thoughts --> negative emotional responses --> negative thoughts --> negative emotional responses --> negative thoughts --> …

The key is to break the loop – cognitive behavioural therapy approaches work on the thoughts, antidepressants on the emotional responses.

Yeah I'm stupid and I didn't know that coz apparently 25 yrs were not enough for me to notice how I work...thanks for making me feel bad, now at least I know how 'emotions and thoughts feedback into each other'. *sarcasm*

On a serious note:

1) What you say, from a logical aspect, doesn't contradict what I said; just complements it. (If that was your goal, though, ok).

2) Notice how you're adding outside events to the process; while I was focusing on how to become positive from the inside, by thinking about positive things. Obviously if someone keeps thinking about bad stuff, the person will feel bad, but if (s)he starts thinking about good things, (s)he will feel better. Regardless of outside events. I can just sit on my bed and close out any outside event, and my mood will depend on what I focus my mind on.

3) OP basically put forth some rather depressed rant.

Notice his wording:

"...my memories of the pain I had come out and remind me."

"I feel accomplishment after doing my work..."

"I am chasing the reward to have my theory acknowledged and agreed with (hopefully). If I get good responses,I will feel good."

All the above instances indicate that at least in his case, emotions are consequences, preceded by thoughts and actions. So I was just telling him to think positively. (And obviously he also says that after feeling satisfaction with his job, next time he'll be more willing to do it- so it doesn't take a medic degree to realize that 'emotions and thoughts interact').

That's what I was reflecting upon, offering a positive break through. Other than that, as someone with mood issues and having experienced severe depression, I'm perfectly aware how that vicious cycle works- as you know-, and I can tell you that therapy and antidepressants didn't really help me. The video I posted was more useful tbh than any of the therapy or medication I received...but in the end, a video alone didn't solve my problems either, of course. Never mind. By the way video, I basically just summed up its content, so don't blame me for it.

 

[Hyun ryu]

[video=youtube;2Sp68AsDxQ0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sp68AsDxQ0[/video]