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Originally Posted by rosewalbrugh  Hi,
So do you feel there is no truth to the possibility that we could become addicted to the physiological reactions (on a neural path and peptide/receptor level)? |
Emotions are definitely addictions. It's what addiction is. Even for substances - it's not the substance that one is addicted to - it's what the body does in reaction to the substance. The addiction is to the feeling of the reaction to the substance.
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Even though as you say emotions are rooted in physiology, I also feel that despite that, we ARE capable of controlling our emotions... In my experience I'm having to do so every now and then. I've found that the conscious/unconscious judgment on how appropriate a certain emotional reaction would be, would be a large contributor to how I actually respond physiologically. And this goes beyond choosing my reaction after I experience the emotion and I'm not talking about stifling my emotions at all.
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This sounds like unhooking from the stimulus and being conscious enough to not feed the feeling that makes the flood of chemicals happen. Deciding to not go into the drama. I don't think you are controlling the feelings - it's still occurring - you are getting into choice of reactions to feelings and not letting your default behavior run because you are choosing something else with being aware. Although I wouldn't want to think too much about a feeling since that can lead to going into the head and not feeling anything at all.
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An example of this would be when I'm in a situation where I'm according to my own judgment allowed to show anger (e.g. when I'm having an argument with my boyfriend or close family member), in these cases, as my judgment is that it's ok to become angry (if the subject requires this) I may 'allow' myself to experience this emotion to it's full extent. On the other hand, if the very same topic of discussion happen and the surroundings are such (e.g. public place or others in the company) that anger would be inappropriate I would not feel it or stifle it either. I do believe that I can control my emotions. And recently I think I've realised that I may be consciously creating the circumstances around which I can satisfy my emotional cravings. Keeping in mind that new perspective and noticing patterns in my behaviour that reinforces this suspicion, I'm on a quest now to avoid all kinds of negative emotions. And guess what, so far it's working for me... The way I see it is that most of the time, situations that are potentially upsetting to us are very complex, and there's always many possible ways to look at it. So now, the next time a potentially upsetting situation arises, I notice the opportunity for negative emotion and I recognise that interpreting the situation in my habitual way would allow me the opportunity to feel sad or angry, etc. Now, if I take that situation and I play around with it in my head until I get to the point where I normally get to where I forgive the person for upsetting me or I am the one apologising for overreacting, I completely bypass the whole cycle of upset - reconsider - forgive/apologize. And ultimately if that is not the cycle - e.g. it's just upset - upset - upset, then maybe I need to decide to eliminate that situation from my experience.
What do you think? Is this not a possible rational way of controlling our emotions?
Let me know what you think!
Rose
My Blog - Free My Mind | Your corner on the web for self expression and personal development. |
I think people regularly set themselves up to experience a set of feelings. That's what a habitual mind does for us. It will even bend a situation, that is only remotely similar to another time the body got a rush, into the same reaction patterns. Sometimes it works, but mostly it doesn't. Most of our emotional reactions aren't helpful, especially at a high drama level - our awareness goes out the window and we sort of are possessed by a habit. It's learned behavior and what you are talking about is unlearning, in a way. To not have those learned behaviors keep running without your permission.
I also think we first get a feeling in our body and if we don't let the feeling exist, either by suppressing, ignoring or thinking too much about it to frame it a certain way - it gets bigger, the feeling turns into an emotion that starts running chemicals and hooks us into an addiction for that feeling of chemicals rushing around. The whole thing is to not be ruled by these feelings and feed them into dramas/addictions (unless you choose to). I think, the sooner one can recognize a feeling starting up, the easier it is to be at choice - otherwise the feeling turns into emotions and starts to take up neurons firing in a pattern and less of one's awareness can come into play. Also that awareness can't go into labeling and framing the feeling because that is suppressing it, or thinking it away.
The idea I have (but no expert at exercising) is to be able to let the feeling go through you without hanging onto it such that it becomes bigger. A feeling gets bigger by resisting it (suppressing, which makes it bigger later) or adding to it (dramatizing, which makes it bigger at the moment).
Resisting can be thinking about it instead of feeling or by not expressing any of it, tightening up of one's body - denying the feeling.
Adding to it is a justifying of the feeling - that one is generating thoughts that make the feeling turn into an emotion, beefing up one's belief of having that reaction, that it's ok to go off and lose one's awareness by having completely habitual responses.
Feelings are indicators for how far off our egos are to spirit. If we were able to let a feeling run through us we have a better chance of listening to what spirit is saying to us. Instead, again, we suppress or make drama - basically get addicted to avoiding/resisting or going off/justifying/dramatizing.