Paradoxical Undressing and Human Emotions

Ahmed Abdulmajeed
Jul 22, 2017 · 2 min read

You are freezing to death. Your body temperature is way below the normal. It will probably be only minutes before you die if you couldn’t keep yourself warm… and you decide to undress.


Paradoxical Undressing:

“A phenomenon in which people remove their clothing completely or partially during the final stages of hypothermia because their bodies start feeling too hot.”


When you first read about it, it will sound like a strange idea. Why is it that our bodies make us feel hot when we are actually freezing? Aren’t we smart enough to see all the snow around us and realize that we need to keep warm and not strip naked? But as unusual as it seems, Paradoxical undressing is a very common human trait we see in different forms, specifically when in emotions.

As humans, very much like the ‘working temperatures’ of devices around us, we tend to have ‘working intensity’ of emotions that we can deal with.

We work just fine when we are happy, but when excitement kicks in and you feel exhilarated, you are more likely to make promises you will never keep.

We work alright when we are a little lowly, but when we feel acutely sad, you are more likely to make decisions that you will later regret.

We work fine when we are a little sad, but sometimes as this sadness grows, it turns into anger and you are more likely to be violent.

We work okay when we are a little lonely, but when you are depressed, you are more likely to isolate yourself when what you actually need is to reach out.

It is probably why when we have been lazy for too long, we procrastinate even further. And when our bodies have been resting for too long, they hurt despite being well rested.

It is never easy to drag yourself out of an emotional frenzy, but the next time you are feeling something a little too much and need to make a decision. Ask yourself. Am I removing the clothes that are keeping me warm?

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