How do you deal with emotions?

My own emotions: Most people would call them repressed, but I see it as being able to process and handle them without making a big deal about it. The lack of outward displays of emotion has never really bothered me, so I don't ascribe any negative traits to their absence. Communicating positive emotions like love or appreciation is not hard, but it does not come naturally and I have to make a semi-conscious decision to do so. When I feel something strong enough to cry or raise my voice it's usually a bad enough situation that most people that notice comment on how reserved I was.

Other people's emotions: I find it hard to empathize, particularly with negative emotions like sadness or anger. I understand why they would feel that way, but don't understand why feeling that way makes them act the way they do.

Art: This is where the pattern breaks down, particularly music and film. I will cry at the drop of a hat. Sad country song, beautiful opera, war movies, sports movies, romantic comedies, everything under the sun. Not full of boo-hoo-ing. A quick wave will wash over me, little bit of a well-up of tears and then its gone as soon as it came. I normally spend the rest of the movie or song trying to figure out what triggered it.

/r/INTP Thread