> I know what it's like to cry tears of joy. But sometimes I have a happy feeling inside of me that is so strong that I feel like I want to cry. Not tears of joy. The happiness is a heavy feeling, weighing me down like sadness might. It's so strong that even though I'm happy, I feel almost like I'm sad.
>
> Anybody else have even a faint idea of what I am talking about? I know I can't be alone with this, and it is not something that ever really worries me. But hearing from other people would be interesting.
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> Gahalyn

I got that same exact sensation while I was reading your message. I was puzzled, because after a good deal of introspection, I could not think of anything in my life right now that might be causing it. Then I realized that with a stomach full of Chinese food (Beef Fried Rice, triple-extra hot, with black hot oil on top), combined with my slouching posture... the pressure on my stomach full of happy-food was giving me that heavy / happy duality of feeling. :-)

Okay, here's my real answer: Yes, I have experienced that sensation before. Sometimes it just happens - I don't think that emotions necessarily need to have a rational reason behind them.

Now for my way-too-deep-attempt-to-blend-neurology-with-hacking-with-pop-psychology-and-who-knows-what-else-until-I'm-over-my-head answer:

There's this thing, right? Called an "amygdala". Dumb as a walnut, and it looks like one, too. We've actually got two of these things embedded in our brains, and they control all our emotions & stuff. And 'cuz there's two, they sometimes can't decide what emotion they want you to feel, so they compromise (or maybe they just can't agree), and you end up feeling both feelings simultaneously.

Or maybe - maybe it just decides to play a prank. Maybe it's bored, and it wants something to play with, and all it has at hand is... your emotions. (Now that I think about it, that's actually a scary thought.)

So here are Uncle Enigma's Tried-n-True Tricks To HaXX0r Your Amygdala:

- Try to fly, and fail
- Ask a good friend to slap you
- Eat chocolate
- Walk up to a group of PETA protestors while wearing a fur coat
- Kiss a kitten

Well, you probably won't HaXX0r your amygdala that way... but maybe you might distract it by giving it some *real* emotions to worry about.

- E"I *Hrumph* like an Ignorant"nigma