logical/emotional thinking

The uneducated opinion of an amateur

What is logic? What is logical thinking? Is it a way of living and thinking?
The way we view our world is seen through a filter, a filter that colors everything we hear, see, or in any way experience
What are emotions? What is emotional thinking? Is it a way of living and feeling?
In reality, most people have a blend of both logic and emotion. Too much of one or the other causes a person to be out of balance, dysfunctional, and ultimately unhappy.
How can a person find the right balance? If it was easy to find the answer for everyone, there would be no need for mental health care professionals.
Too much logic can suppress spontaneous emotions and the joy that we can, and should experience in our lives.
Too much emotion can yank us around like a rag doll, and jerking this way and that, depending on what circumstances happen to bring that day.
I don’t have all the answers. It's just as simple as that. I am very sorry if I have disappointed you; but progress can be made, though it may be painful to give up old ways of thinking.
For the logical thinker a key to use is socialization, however uncomfortable that may be, because there are many emotional people to be learned from. Do things that were not planned in advance and have fun if you can. Even if that is not very successfull, it will be good practice
For the emotional thinker it is difficult to let go of the role that chemical pathways in the brain have influenced our thinking. A key tool is to stop thinking altogether, and then starts fresh with only places and people to consider. A concerted effort to put yourself into other people’s position is helpful.
Some people have, unfortunately, found that they have defective thinking altogether. If you find that you have this problem, it can be recognized by the fact that you have no friends at all. You may think you have found a friend, then find that they were not a friend at all and disassociate from you altogether. This is the most difficult category to find that you are in.
You must trust your health care provider implicitly and ask; what are the problems I have in dealing with people and how can I change my thinking? Also; and this may be the most difficult, ask the people you have had acquaintance with, what is your judgment of me as a person? What things have made friendship for with me impossible?
You must take this input with humility, and realize that for them to be willing to do this, is the ultimate gift for your future success in normal relationships.





Logical thinkers

Logical thinkers have only a limited spectrum in which to view their world. Everything has to made sense or they are at a loss of how to understand others who are not of a similar persuasion.
The world is not a clearly defined place. To a logical person there must be cause and effect. Actions must be for a purpose, so when they find this lack of organization in the world, it is very uncomfortable to them.
They try to enforce their ideas on the rest of the world with little or no success. They may even find themselves ostracized from normal, well balanced thinkers who find friendship with these people as constrained and with no room for a spontaneous ways of expression. Existence for these people comes in one of three non exclusive forms.
1. Construct their own world with or without loyal subjects that must live within the “Rules”
2. Learn to accept with great discomfort an illogical society that they find baffling, but finally learn to accept as their only alternative
3. Find a specialized component of society within which their differences are accepted as strengths in an occupation where they can function independently but without much social discourse.

Emotion thinkers

Emotional thinkers find themselves in a state of constant turmoil. Things are constantly happening, the causes which are misjudged. They find motivation in others, where none exists. They find that they often have to resolve conflicts, real or imagined, with people who are at a loss to know what the real problem was.
They are always trying to make sure that everyone still likes them and that they have not offended someone, though they are often offended by others whom they have misjudged.
Stability for people who are emotional thinkers comes when:
1. They find a few friends who can put up with their idiosyncrasies
2. They are able to ignore and suppress their true feelings, because by expressing these emotions, have found only rejection.
3 They isolate themselves from most people, and as a consequence find solace in many kinds of activities and perhaps a comforting pet (or pets) which take the place of people, who they find highly confusing.
(Many well balanced people enjoy pets, though not as obsess- ably)


Defective thinkers

Defective thinkers, have defective thinking! That is a very simple statement. First a medical history must determine if traumatic events at some point in that person’s life have precipitated the unacceptable behavior. If that is the case, them this underlying problem must be addressed before much further progress can be made.
Also, a thorough medical history should indicate that no head trauma has occurred. A PET scan may also be in order if the behavior or motivation is bizarre.
If these tests are negative, or inconclusive, then cognitive therapy, or medication may be the only alternative. Without treating this global way in which the individual thinks, or conducts him (or her) self, programs to treat individual behaviors will be ineffective.
The number of books that have been written on this subject is innumerable.
There are so many mental health conditions that can beset a poor victim trapped in this world that no one can judge the true underlying character without “walking in his shoes for a mile.” Tough a true spiritual experience can often; controversial to most health care providers involved in abnormal physiology, provide much relief of symptoms, the cause of the problem must be addressed.
Is it bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, previous or current drug abuse, or just being mad at the whole world and every one in it!
It is not uncommon to a mental patient to spend years without a correct diagnosis, and many more years of intensive therapy to correct the dysfunctional thinking.
That fact is a great shame for our current system of mental health treatment. For an individual and his family to have to endure ten years of turmoil needlessly after help is obviously needed is a great drain on our collective society.