Imagining you have two tanks, representing your capacities for pain and joy.
What happens if the joy tank overflows? Well, a Manic episode I guess, but essentially not much.
What happens if the pain tank overflows? Death, maybe. Too much grief can kill people.
This is one of the reasons Pain Is Stronger Than Pleasure. Too much pain is a lot worse than too much pleasure.
Hitting Bankruptcy
We’ve probably all seen this or experienced this when someone is a state of grief. Something small going wrong sets them off in a crying fit.
They aren’t crazy for crying about being out of milk, it’s just the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Playing The Game
Wanting something means taking a gamble on the outcome, it means Being Disappointed When You Don’t Get It. Even if the odds are pretty good, there’s always a chance things don’t go your way.
Avoiding The Game
If I’m on the edge of emotional bankruptcy, better not take the risk of a complete breakdown. I don’t have the table stakes to even play the game. Too Much Pain Stops You From Wanting Things.
You stop playing the game, taking the gambles for happiness. But that also means no potential for winnings. No potential for joy. That path leads ever down into stagnation.