p. 232 "The Western mind is conditioned to expect unconditional obedience from the body and the emotions, yet this perspective keeps people fromlearning to process feeling in its subtle , more manageable forms. Once the pressure of anger reaches the critical mass of rage, for instance, the emotional brain hijacks theneocortex , which is then left to deal with the damage -- toe oneself, one's family, or one's property -- after the storm blows over. Imagining that people can control strong emotions by simply willing it into submission is as foolish as trying to control an unruly horse."
I hate this system!
"You'd think after a few close calls with errant emotion most people would look for another approach, one that involved working with nature rather than against it. Many, however, choose the seemingly more convenient option of medicating their emotions into submission. If someone feels anxious or troubled, it's easier to reach for a Valium than suddenly muster up the level of self-awareness it takes to get to the root of the problem. This this person is tired, she may drink an entire pot of coffee. If she's really depressed and unable to function, she might try a more powerful stimulant."
This is the world we live in. These are the people I have to communicate with and deal with everyday.
"Depression is the stop sign of the soul. This debilitating yet ingenious stagnation follows a period in which a person refuses to listen to the messages behind sadness, fear, anger, or grief. In a world where we're taught to ignore our emotions, dreams, and true passions, where we enter blindly into thewrong relationships and wrong jobs, depression is our emergency break. Depression takes over when what we were doing and where we were going didn't match up with our inner desires."
So, if that is true, why am I so depressed right now? Because I am. Is this just leftovers of the trauma?Or is there more that I should be paying attention to?
"Mind over matter simply doesn't work if the emotions refuse to cooperate. It's simply not enough for a woman to think happy thoughts about a new relationship when the amygdala keeps comparing minor disagreements with her boyfriend to instances of physical abuse she experienced in her first marriage. She needs to develop new coping strategies for dealing with fear and anger, in part by being honest with the man in her life and asking for his cooperation, while getting the professional help she needs to work through the unresolved trauma.
Suppressed emotions don't go away; they putrefy into toxic thoughts and habits, eventually evolving into mutant forms that relieve the pressure in less conscious ways, undermining health, happiness, and usually a few innocent bystanders."
That last quote in bold was particularly powerful. It's pretty important to deal with those emotions so that they don't turn into the toxic mutant forms.
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