What Is the Importance of Maintaining Emotions?

Displayed emotions help human interactions.

Emotions are adaptive responses to life. If we see someone smiling, we feel safe and have a pleasant emotion. If we see a snarling, predatory animal, we feel fearful and act accordingly.

Perspectives

By Western standards, Buddha suffered clinical depression.

In Western culture, lack of emotions (flat affect) is a symptom of psychiatric illness. We believe seeking emotions of love and joy are life's driving force, and that the opposite, clinical depression, should be reversed with anti-psychotic drugs. In Buddhism, having a flat affect is a goal, as it precludes suffering, cruelty, greed, jealousy and self-promotion.

Physiology of Emotion

Nutrients help synthesize brain hormones.

We know that emotions are created from the interaction of brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and gamma-aminobutyric acid, all of which need certain nutrients to be synthesized.

Importance

Emotions help us relate to each other.

Humans can affect their emotions at a conscious level. A rich, neuronal activity exists between the limbic system, the seat of emotions, and the cortex, the seat of reasoning. Emotions are important as long as they can be controlled with reasoning.

References

• University of Wisconsin: Neuroscience Resource Page: Neurobiology of Emotions
• The Royal College of Psychiatrists, U.K.: Nutrition and Mental Health