Eureaka!

[Duxwing]

I'm so excited, I think I've made a discovery! Perhaps I'm just too tired and zany to see that others have already thought of this, but here goes.

Let a stimulus S trigger an emotional response E in a being of free will, B
Let B prevent itself from feeling E for three arbitrary periods, P1, P2, and P3, at which it will check the strength of E
Let the values from 0 to 1 indicate the strength of E at any given moment
Let E initially equal 1

If no diminishment of emotion occurs, then at P1, E still equals 1, and likewise at P2, and ad infinitum! Therefore, if E can also become separated from S in B's psyche, then E will persist, "knocking at the door" of consciousness, if you will, until felt regardless of external conditions. Thus, we can deduce that emotional baggage could theoretically be released, if only it could be properly felt instead of suppressed! Imagine the Freudian triumph of such an endeavor; a psyche free of damage, free of unwanted, unconscious drives. Tranquility, peace, and comfort; an eternal Zen. We just need to find the proper releases, then it could be ours!

-Duxwing

 

[Coolydudey]

You think EXACTLY like me... I would recommend you don't overdo it though, referring to "that emotion" rather than E, it will generally make things easier because of our familiarity of one symbol vs the other.
I think that you should reduce the "power" (increase how realistic the are) of your assumptions.

Relevant to what you are saying, I'm just too tired to perform the necessary mental abstraction, maybe I'll edit tomorrow.

 

[Da Blob]

Yes, "Time Management" on the cognitive level can be a very valuable skill to acquire.

The problem I see with your hypothesis actually working is the endocrine system will respond to memory of an event as if it were a ongoing event. There is a nasty problem with 'echos' from traumatic or painful experience.

Of course, echoes do fade after a time and the fact that memories can be used to provoke one's self or others into predictable responses can be used as a method of manipulation of self or others.

That seems like a rather cold hearted, negative, antisocial methodology, but the foundation for developing self discipline and self respect often is a result of the 'domestication' of one's own 'wild' endocrine system by the conscious application of appropriate memory...

EDIT: Hmmm? I wonder how the statement "Thank you, but I prefer to tame my endocrine system by myself" would be received by one in authority or one attempting to manipulate?
Perhaps, one of those "deer in the headlights" moments?

The freedom one seeks is available through acquiring the ability to forgive. Few realize that the forgiver is the main beneficiary of forgiveness, not the forgiven as generally assumed. It is one means of eliminating the echoes...