I believe that emotions and reactions can change, at least for many people. That is, I believe, why therapy can work. The basis of our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs is chemical reactions and electrical impulses, and it seems to me that it should be possible to change such things, by talking about them repeatedly, with a person who is trained to listen and respond adequately.

I do not believe that there is such a thing as "normal", and I don't see the value in looking at what works for other people - for me that is a surefire way to misery. And I know for certain that my body has no clue what is best for me It is the last organism I should listen to if I actually want what is best for myself.

But yes, I do think that there is a connection between knowing something intellectually and knowing it at an emotional level. I don't think the connection is automatic, I believe that it may need to be reinforced a lot. But if intellectual knowledge didn't help, there would be no chance for me to ever get better, so I have to believe that it does. (And I know for a fact that it does, so I'm not particularly worried on that score. There is a lot of research on the subject.)