Control comes at a Cost

Everything comes at a cost because there is no free lunch, or, better to put it this way, there is a repercussion to every action, or in Newton's world, every action has a reaction (be it equal or unequal, opposite or equi-directional). It is also true for a person's reaction when he is forced to practice self-restraint. Just as a bully child would behave outrageously when he is refused the purchase of a cute-looking toy, a grown-up man would also tend to show a harsh verbal response when he is refused something very dear to him. And if he is also refused an expression of a verbal response then his outrage would manifest itself in the form of an alteration of his personality.

This alteration can be good or bad depending on a person's ethical and moral values.
Human indeed belongs to a complex species to whose personality, the Newton's law of equal and "opposite" reaction might not apply. For instance, a morally elevated person, when banished food for days at a time, would come out from this hardship as a stronger and a sympathetic person. He would not forget his pain during that hardship but would also never wish it for anyone else. However, an opposite reaction can be seen in a bullied personality, whereby after suffering this hardship, he might get hard-hearted and would begin wishing the same hardship for everyone.

I remember the story of a king's son who was intentionally thrown into the dungeon and refused ample food for months before putting into power, so that after experiencing such hardship of forced restraint from food, his personality would grow sympathetic towards the hungry, poor, and unprivileged of his society and he would always keep their needs in mind when considering the wishes of the society's elites.

Many of the monotheist religions have long adapted this philosophy and have encouraged their followers to observe periodic fasts, with the underlying goal of having them learn the hardships faced by the unprivileged class.

A similar scenario occurred to me, when I was forced away from my wife for years. During that time, I taught myself to be strong and self-sustaining when the tides of the world's resources are against my emotional needs. This could have easily resulted in an evil transformation of my personality, whereby I would have sought wrong means of physical satisfaction, including extra-marital relationship or fornication, and, God forbid, could have been pushed to dissolve my loving relationship. But I resisted many desires, while also admittedly falling for some attractions. My resolve was strengthened by the divine power and I sustained the mental anxiety of having been distanced from the loved ones.

It is a challenge to stay focused and to meticulously guide your personality during the time of this transformation, resulting from the forced restraint. While it might make you strong in your actions and determination, it might as easily throw you to the path of personal destruction.