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Do you let your emotions get in the way of rational thinking?

Sometimes I do. I have to sit back for a few days and think rationally before I go and make a decision. Same with when I buy something expensive. I think and I make a pros and cons list. When I'm blinded by emotions, I feel inundated and can't use my reasoning skills. Today I went to the gym and thought and thought of different outcomes for my future. I thought of how far I have come in life and how I got to where I am. Tomorrow is another day off (unless they call me into work?) and I'll go back to the gym and mull things over. I'm giving my boss space. I think with time, things will be alright. I don't want to quit my job over a temporary problem. That is a little childish. I will face it head on like a mature adult. Forgive, forget, and move on.

Sarahroo29 8 Feb 2
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28 comments

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10

I've had to teach myself to think first and react later. If I allowed my knee-jerk reactions to rule me I would probably be in jail by now.

Same here

9

I would imagine that everyone does at times. That is just a human characteristic.

9

Good on ya! You sound like a rational, mature adult. Just keep your guard up.

Yep. Thanks.

8

Anyone who claims their emotions don't influence their thinking is a liar or worse, deluding themselves.

Yes. I think that few, if any, of our decisions or conclusions or views are untouched completely by our emotions.

7

I happily allow emotions to take over rational thinking during sex.

6

Most emotions get in the way, but emotions are part of being human.

I agree! And also a very important reason why people like me throw around words like asshat, trumpanzee, candy ass and the rest of the four letter classics

5

Yes, I should avoid some topics.

5

This is one of my biggest struggles. Something I still ought to get better at. The older I get the better I get at controlling it.

Age does seem to help one sort those things out. We still have the emotions, and inclinations, just don't act on them as rashly.

4

Constantly. Obviously. For example, I am determined to see any and all future original Misfits shows. They are expensive, require air flight and hotel/room of some sort, and other expenses. I don’t care. I just forwent paying a bill to pick up tickets to the show just announced this week for New Jersey. Logic would suggest a different course of action, but whatever. However, if you were to look deeper into the whole situation, you may determine that the purchase is actually very rational. I treat this as a coping mechanism helping me deal with the loss of my son. I live in hell, and that makes it seem very rational.

If going to the concerts helps you cope, then it makes great sense. Music can be very comforting and meaningful.

4

I tend to keep my emotions and rational thinking separate. Which has made me seem heartless to some people in some of the decisions that I've had to make in my life.

4

I respond first and then react, later. A lot of people think that I have no feelings and they couldn't be more wrong. I'm a farmer, an artist, a teacher, and a gardener. I nurture. What 'those' people mistake for having feelings is them wanting to get some kind of knee jerk reaction out of me and I don't give it to them.

4

Not much anymore, I've grown out of it for the most part.

Same

3

I have to make efforts every day to keep my emotions from interfering with my rational thinking. I often have a tendency to flare up, and I have to work to calm myself down so I can think calmly. There are certain issues which are hot-button topics for me, as I guess there are for everybody. But I know I generally do a much better job of thinking rationally when I wait until I'm calm and clear-headed before saying anything.

I was often the same way in the past, not so much anymore. I just came to the realization that, for me, it was a waste of mental energy, and not psychologically healthy. Haven't conquered it completely, but I recognize it quicker now and deal with it more effectively.

@Condor5 I've made some improvement myself, but I'm still working on it. I think I've pretty well learned how not to send emails in anger.

@MST3K we gotta keep trying.

3

Sometimes but less as I get older

3

A: Nope. My emotions are deep, wide, and full; they power my actions, but they do not steer them. My rationality has hands on the tiller at (almost) all times.

There is one in my life who resents me for this, calls me a "robot" and such...someone with severe bipolar disorder, attention deficit, and spectacularly bad impulse control, whose life is a never-ending emotional rollercoaster of the most violent order. Hates it that I rarely get visibly upset or break composure. Tells me there's something wrong with me. Like not being tossed about by completely unregulated emotions is a bad thing. Sure
eyeroll.

(I'm not suggesting you're completely out of control or don't know what healthy emotional regulation is like. Just sharing my experience with a total loon.)

My last partner was somewhat like the person you're describing. She would say things to push my buttons, then wait for me to react, and I would. At first, before I understood what she was doing, I'd get extremely frustrated, which would cause me to try to be clearer, which she would call "yelling" at her. Believe me, I did not yell. Of course, it would escalate from there. Once it sunk in what she was doing, I pretty much shut it down; but she didn't stop. That was when I knew she was very damaged, and that I couldn't, and at my age didn't want to, deal with it any longer. But, she would say things like, "You don't have any feelings, you don't even care, do you?"

@Condor5 I get annoyed by it but in my case the person is deeply mentally ill, sliding into dementia, and not trying to provoke--so I don't get too mad. In their case when they accuse me of having no feelings I think it's half saying something petty out of frustration and half honestly not knowing what healthy emotional regulation is like. Plus I think they're really just jealous of me, and trying to tear me down because I have something they wish they had... I can't have honest discussions with this person anymore, so there's no resolution to be had. If they werent family we wouldn't even be speaking.

@stinkeye_a that's sad.

@stinkeye_a I am mentally ill (depression), and at one time I almost alienated my brother, though I made amends and we get along well now. I know it can be very difficult.

@MST3K I cut a LOT of slack for medical issues like chemical imbalance; cognitive issues like memory, attention, and processing; and psychological issues like trauma, neurosis, etc. Like, all the slack.

I cut ZERO slack for immaturity, pettiness, spite, refusing accountability, blame-shifting, etc.

I don't resent people for stuff they can't control. But I absolutely despise it when they try to use their mental illness status to negotiate a "get out of jail free card" at every possible opportunity.

3

No, I carry lots of anger and resentment but like any other emotions they do not affect any decisions.

3

Sometimes...of course.

2

Yes, of course, it's human nature. But, we try to minimize it when we recognize it, don't we? When I was teaching my Business Writing class, one of the first things I would tell people was to NEVER EVER send out an email written in anger. You could compose it if you were that incensed, but then you should sit on it for 24 hrs, then reconsider. We all know that those kinds of messages eventually get into the hands of someone for whom they were not intended, and people have lost their jobs over such things. So, yes, monitor those emotions, and ALWAYS think before you speak/send. Believe me, I know whereof I speak.

I had that issue growing up. I still do. I will send a message without thinking first. Then I'll delete it. If in texting, you can't delete it. Messenger you can.

2

Rarely. So rare that I feel justified in saying no, but I say it softly.

2

A lot of people ask me if I ever get mad.

1

I don't really know the answer to this - I am emotionally unstable often, and I do depend upon my partner to tell me when I am haywire - D.I.D Alters come and go as they please, sometimes its delicious, mostly I have no memory of the fugue, and my partner will tell me nothing awful happened during the lost time I am pretty confident we won't harm anyone but the answers a definite yes.

1

I don't. Sometimes I actually question whether I feel emotions like other people. I'm afraid I compartmentalize to a level that is unhealthy.

1

I look at in a simple manner. I choose my battles. I ask myself is this issue important enough to risk dying on this battlefield today. Usually after I settle down I no longer feel the need to engage. If I do then I can approach it with clear mind.

1

you would be a robot if you didnt

1

I think so! I was so mad about the Volkswagen scandal, (because I own one, it affects me) , I couldn't even think for a day, I was a total screw up after seeing the Netflix , 'Dirty Money'., program. It raised more issues for me than I could bear and so I went to bed and slept it off - Today feeling good to go and try to make decisions about what to do - had another volkswagen van ordered have cancelled will give myself time to think - But yes emotions are like flooding to the system and sometimes you can float along with and and sometimes have to take a stand adn figure out what is the best option to go forwards with.

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