What Is Emotional Mind

Emotion mind

Think of this as instinct. We all have instinctive, impulsive reactions to circumstances, events, and people. These reactions are formed early in life as a result of our life experiences. We are particularly vulnerable to any experience that is interpreted as invalidating.

Think back to the first time you experienced a migraine.

How did others respond to you?

Were they supportive and helpful?

If not, what did happen?

Many of us have memories of invalidating experiences related to migraines. These experiences form our instinctive emotional and behavioral responses whenever a migraine appears. We dont think; we react.

You are in Emotion Mind when your emotions are in control, when emotions influence and control your thinking and your behavior.

Emotion Mind can be very beneficial. Intense love fills history books as motivation for relationships. Intense love (or intense hate) has fueled wars. Intense devotion or desire motivates staying with very hard tasks, sacrificing self for others (e.g., mothers running through fires for their children).

A certain amount of Emotion Mind is desirable. Some individuals have more than most; they are the dramatic folks of the world and will always be so. People high in Emotion Mind are often passionate about people, causes, beliefs, etc.

Problems with Emotion Mind occur when the results are positive in the short term but negative in the long term, or when the experience itself is very painful, or leads to other painful states and events (e.g., anxiety and depression can be painful in themselves).

Emotion Mind is exacerbated by:

Illness

Sleep deprivation, tiredness

Drugs and alcohol

Hunger, bloating, overeating, poor nutrition

Environmental stress (too many demands)

Environmental threats

Think of some other factors

Consider pros and cons of both types of mind. Think of your experiences of Reasonable Mind and Emotion Mind.