IUBio

evolutionary significance of emotions !!

Peter peterind at idirect.com
Wed Feb 16 17:19:56 EST 2000


It is impossible to consider emotions without memory processes and
inversely. They are interacting processes and their separated significance
isn't exist.

sisial <sisial at email.msn.com> wrote in message
news:uESLWwEe$GA.252 at cpmsnbbsa03...
> While I would agree that my cyclic behavior makes me poorly adapted to a
> static environment, I respond exceptionally well in dynamic environments.
>
> Unfortunately, society expects steady rates of productivity at moderate
> levels. My productivity tends to be periodic, with periods of
exceptionally
> high productivity and periods of exceptionally low productivity. Because
of
> this extreme, I am frequently unable to maintain the resources necessary
to
> produce effectively, or to attain a position consistent with my abilities.
> This, in turn, can lead to negative emotionality (stress, frustration, and
> even potentially destructive behaviors as I have a need to act).
>
> The first key to understanding depression is to separate the physical
event
> of depression from the problems which frequently result from depression.
>
> Now, I am fortunate in that my primary activities revolve around solving
> complex problems (an activity for which I am also well adapted). Normally,
I
> spend my time learning everything I can about my environment. I don't
really
> focus on details, my interest simply being a general understanding of how
> things relate to each other. When I encounter a problem, I will usually
stop
> to research it in greater detail. When I encounter a problem which cannot
be
> resolved easily, I usually become excited and engage in more intensive
> research. My thinking tends to be divergent and inductive, and as the
> problem begins to work itself into fabric of my understanding my thoughts
> tend to jump around alot. Sometimes I find myself in a position where the
> information I need to resolve the problem is not available. In these
> situations, my thoughts race and may become redundant; I may find myself
> totally overwhelmed. Sometimes I am forced to resort to medication to stop
> the cycle, but generally avoid this as it leaves me detached from the
> problem and unable to pursue a creative solution.
>
> After a time, my understanding may fragment to such a degree that I feel
> there is no hope for a solution. I begin to feel tired. All I want to do
is
> sleep. External demands may prevent this and leave me anxious and
desperate
> for an escape. Suicide has never been an option for me simply because I
fear
> being trapped in such a state for eternity. I empathize with others to
> easily to respond other than simple irritability. I tend to hold my
> responses in check until either the condition is removed (or more often
> avoided), or I have a total breakdown. In the event of near breakdown, I
may
> resort to medication; but generally avoid it for reasons mentioned above
> (antidepressants merely throw me into rapid cycling with little or no hope
> for productivity). Fortunately, I have been isolated from such demands for
> some time. I can allow myself to shut down with no feelings of guilt.
During
> these shutdowns my broken thoughts begin to drift freely. Connections are
> slowly rebuilt and tested against experience. The problem generally
> disappears completely, the solution incorporated somewhere in the new
> understanding. Eventually, I achieve full integration and begin to explore
> again, and the process begins anew.
>
> Now, I can see how my behavior prevents me from handling the more mundane
> aspects of life. I need change and will expend alot of energy pursuing
> change if it isn't readily available. One could argue that, in a stable
> environment, I waste an abundance of energy and therefore am poorly
adapted;
> and I would agree.
>
> However, in a constantly or radically changed environment, norms often
> expend an excessive amount of energy trying to maintain older patterns of
> behavior. They may begin to experience stress, frustration, and even
> potentially destructive behaviors as they attempt to reestablish
> understanding and/or control over their environment. Fortunately, this
often
> leaves me free to act, as they may be to exited to require me to explain
my
> actions. I perform well in such situations and generally find myself
pushed
> to the front of activity. Unfortunately, once the situation is resolved, I
> once again become a maladapted individual.
>
> Personally, I believe diversity in the behavior of individuals in a
> population increases the survival rate of the population. The systematic
> destruction of such diversity certainly seems unhealthy. Perhaps we should
> first learn exactly what depression is before we label it a disorder and
> attempt to eradicate it. ???
>
> <cerebrolat at my-deja.com> wrote in message
> news:88cjp6$3n8$1 at nnrp1.deja.com...
>
> > I agree with you only while talking about depression. This particular
> > state is like a terminal desease and might not help to survive.
>
> Oh, and for my response to the initial question. From someone who used to
> inflict burns on their person simply to experience any feeling, negative
> affect is not so bad. In fact, it can be positively exhilarating. No
affect
> is far more discomforting, but I believe still has it's place. Think about
> it. What would bother you more? The pain of losing someone you love? Or,
> having absolutely no feeling about the loss, whatsoever? And, if you can't
> feel the pain of loss, how can you be sure the love was even real? Of
> course, you probably wouldn't care even about that.
>
>






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