Selective suppression of unwanted emotions.

[Terran]

Is it theoretically possible? What would be the outcomes in terms of someone's psychology, if for instance almost all of their capability for some 'major' emotion was denied. E.G if they lacked the ability to feel any kind of 'sadness'.

I'm not talking about chemical suppressants (at least as they are now/in the foreseeable future), I mean the total eradication of an emotion. Hypothetically even.

 

[Urakro]

Eradicating fear is an easy hypothetical. We'd all start dropping like flies.

Long-term denying of the other emotions would probably end up like someone with alexithymia. The emotion would just exist as a raw state of energy with an unknown cause to link it to.

 

[Sinny91]

Long-term denying of the other emotions would probably end up like someone with alexithymia. The emotion would just exist as a raw state of energy with an unknown cause to link it to.

Well said.

 

[TBerg]

Is there a difference between the neurotransmitters that are entailed in emotion and those responsible for cognitive development?

 

[Grayman]

Is there a difference between the neurotransmitters that are entailed in emotion and those responsible for cognitive development?

In a healthy individual the cognitive mind gets to interpret what is or will happen to you while the emotions are mostly a response to that interpretation.

An oversimplified way to eradicate fear is to believe that nothing bad will happen. In turn you might make unnecessary risks and get yourself hurt or killed.

I don't know of a way of to eliminate such emotions without making such interpretations. Possibly you could balance an interpretation that elicits fear by including a little hope but such a thing does not eliminate fear in your life.