Lack of emotion, depression, or a good thing?

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There are these pesky things called emotions. I thought that if you got rid them, you could think more logically and possibly boost your IQ. I was recently told by a family member that lack of emotion means you are clincally depressed and that you would not be able to think without them. My thinking on the matter is without emotion, your brain energy (best term I could think of) would be freed up and you could concentrate more on intelligence. I know this whole post sounds weird, but what does everyone think?

Furthermore, when I say Lack of Emotion, I mean complete lack of all emotions, positive and negative.

I don't think a lack of emotion is possible. You can have alexithymia and not realize you have emotions while still feeling the effects.

I find that when I am really depressed I do my best thinking and reasoning. This usually occurs very late at night, when I am in bed awake and can't sleep. At these times my emotions are generally also very depressed and for all practical purposes nonexistent. The lack of emotion sounds like the Vulcans from Star Trek. Personally, I have learned to value these times for their clarity, insight and creativity. I am at my best it seems when I am very depressed. It does seem strange, but it is true, for me at least.

What would be the point of being logical if it gave you no benefit? For example I love studying spanish grammar, it brings me joy. If I could be even better at it, but I didn't enjoy it, but felt nothing about it...that quite frankly is non-human to me. It is one thing to be out of touch with what's going on inside you, but to be truly emotionless is to me not something I'd want.

I suspect that 'emotion' and 'logic' don't separate as simply as we tend to think -- that they aren't separable 'down to the bone,' sort of.

I found this interesting:

As far as depression, I find there are different levels or states. At a certain point, it does seem to offer a kind of icy clarity, but below that I start to feel like the brain-damaged people that researcher talks about. It becomes impossible to decide anything. I've actually at times made complicated charts and graphs when in that state, but it never seems to help. And then, when out of that state, it's simple again.

I guess the thing is that too much emotion can lead to bad decisions, so we think less is better, but apparently that also causes problems.

A video of the guy above talking about patients who can't decide due to emotional loss due to brain damage:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wup_K2WN0I&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Anyway my $0.02 on the subject.

Emotions are a biochemical process in the brain, which can't be untangled or separated from the other functions; the 'symptoms' or results of which we identify as feelings such as anger, fear, jealousy, etc. To lack emotions would be to lack a functioning brain, basically.

I think you're incredibly F***ng stupid and need grow up. Do you even know how insignificant you are? Yet you blabber on about such trivial crap like it means something. Everyone on this website is going to die eventually so what the hell is the point? Why do you need to feel superior to people who share an IQ of 70 with you when you're just gonna die in the end anyways? You aren't going to win anything. You're a high and mighty atheist so god isn't gonna pat you on the back because of how clever you are when you die. he isn't gonna laugh with you and say "you sure fooled them!"
People are busy giving this ret*d input when someone like me is wanting to die and In need of moral support, begging if not from his friends from a bunch of random people he doesn't know and never will. W T F.

What is this? I don't even...

What relevancy does any of that have to what we're discussing here?

After 6 hours of feeling like this, you are the first person who was capable of making me laugh. I thank you so much for that. You have no Idea.

Well, I'm glad I could help.

I think to me it's a good thing. It keeps my head cool and focused. Of course I don't think it's possible to not have any emotions. I'm sure my feelings are usually milder than most people's. I just spent 8 hours today in hospital with my brother because he seems to be having a schizophrenia relapse. I heard and saw many things, crazy people raving, yelling, crying, sobbing families and anxious parents...etc. I felt almost nothing, well just bored. I can't imagine what an empathetic person would feel like in an environment where most people are suffering or distressed.

I might feel sad or stressed sometime later, but I almost never feel anything while I'm trying to get something done. I might not know what to feel, but I always know what to do. The weird thing is when I'm feeling down, I seem to appreciate beauty very much. The physical type. Seeing someone or something beautiful really impress me when I'm feeling low.

I'm apologizing again PM, because that outburst was completely irrational and stupid.

I don't think this post is weird for aspies. I've attempted to be a robot myself.

Emotions are information. They can be useful. They tell you about what is happening. There is a branch of intelligence dubbed 'emotional intelligence' after all.

Aspies may find them very intense and unpleasant and overwhelming. I think emotional integration is ideal. A course of meditation may help. Bringing emotional content into consciousness and learning how to experience it fully without aversion (equanimity) is a great way of learning how to deal with it more effectively. I think suppression is a really bad idea and causes problems.

I think emotions make our experience meaningful. Don't destroy your emotions, instead turn them into an ally. You can be smart and be an emotional being.

The main thing I'd like to point out is that you have options on how you can react with and from and to your emotions.

Thank you, but I must warn you, the Moderators may see it as a personal attack. I'll let them know you apoligized in both threads.

If there is anything I can do, let me know dude.

Well I've seen the thread, and he did apologise, so I think we can leave it at that.

But please don't do it again Ari. It would be a shame if you couldn't access support on these boards because of rule breakage.

Yeah, I'll try to avoid computers next time I get that depressed. And to think earlier I was trying to learn something on guitar. :/