PERCEPTION & STRESS
One of the biggest discoveries in stress research is that stress deeds on our perception. So how then do we appraise the stressor? We think about this in different ways. We may think that we will do well, or that there is no possible way that we will do well. We could keep our focus simply on our studies, or we could keep in mind that when it is done we don't have to worry till the fall. The basic idea is that different people have different strategies on how to deal with stressors.
COPING WITH STRESS
Outlets for frustration such as exercise, beat someone up, etc. Social supports also help you cope; having good friends vs frenemies, and having a happy marriage. Two key issues with coping include predictability and control. These are the two strongest predictors of PTSD. Predictability makes stressors less stressful and lets you know when not to worry. Control is a belief of your own ability to control situations and make stressors less stressful.
WHEN PREDICTABILITY DOESN'T WORK
The basic idea is that if you don't have enough anxiety it is boring and you will perform poorly where if you have too much anxiety then you will also perform poorly. Predictability doesn't help with rare or frequent stressors. Timing is another that if something is to far away then it won't matter and if you have a pop test it won't matter because you can't do anything about it. Predictability really just helps with medium level stressors.
WHEN CONTROL DOESN'T WORK
If you believe you have control but you really don't and something bad happens you will be more stressed because of your perception of control. Especially if you still think you have control because then you might think something is wrong with you. There is something known as the internal locus of control which is this idea of thinking you can control something when you can't.
We can increase our stress response by: not having outlets, not taking time for relationships, perceiving things as only getting worse, not being good at predictability and control. Perception is the key.
THE BRAIN AND PLEASURE
Key neurotransmitter on the test is Dopamine. The dopamine kicks in not just as you are doing something exciting (cliff jumping) but the whole process of preparing to do the exciting thing will release dopamine. In many ways dopamine is an anticipatory neurotransmitter. This goes from the ventral segmental area to the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala. Opioid peptides, natural endorphins, also kick into this process. The frontal cortex, cingulate cortex, and the amygdala also play a role in if something is pleasurable or not.
In the striatum there is the densest area of dopamine centers. There is actually a strong correlation between drug addiction and base jumping, those who are looking for that next big rush.
What is Pleasure
Pleasure is not the actual event. Dopamine is highest for a base jumper right as she is starting to run. So the anticipation is the most pleasurable and after it is over the dopamine levels decrease significantly.
Delay of Gratification
If you come from a high stress environment with little pleasure in your life then you don't delay gratification when the opportunity arises. Those who do wait, however, have much more successful futures (marshmallow study).
Dopamine & Pleasure
Dopamine increases in the anticipation of pleasure. It will energize you to respond to incentives. It also is tied to infatuation however, it is not tied to mature love.
STRESS & REWARD
Uncertainty and context matter. Sometimes a situation will be benign and sometimes it will be malevolent. Tickling is not something you want for a long period of time or it will become uncomfortable and it needs to come from someone you trust to be enjoyable.
GLUCOCORTICOIDS AND PLEASURE
Glucocorticoids lead to increased dopamine at least transiently in moderate amounts.
Adrenaline Junkies
Really this should be called glucocorticoid (cortisol) junkies.
ADDICTION
Dopamine in the ventral tegmentum nucleus acumbens pathway is a key area. Cocaine and these other drugs increase this pleasure response from dopamine exponentially which is why it is so addictive. Taking drugs while stressed will increases the likelihood of you becoming addicted and decreases (momentarily) CRH and glucocorticoids. People fell less stressed and anxious when taking drugs (withdrawal effects).
PLEASURE AND MODERN ENVIRONMENT
We are overly stimulated in our modern environment (electronics). We don't have to have quiet time because we can feel every second with something. We rapidly habituate to novelty because the next novel experience could be right around the corner because of this. We are not as impressed by new things anymore. Even food is engineered to produce an addictive effect.
One of the biggest discoveries in stress research is that stress deeds on our perception. So how then do we appraise the stressor? We think about this in different ways. We may think that we will do well, or that there is no possible way that we will do well. We could keep our focus simply on our studies, or we could keep in mind that when it is done we don't have to worry till the fall. The basic idea is that different people have different strategies on how to deal with stressors.
COPING WITH STRESS
Outlets for frustration such as exercise, beat someone up, etc. Social supports also help you cope; having good friends vs frenemies, and having a happy marriage. Two key issues with coping include predictability and control. These are the two strongest predictors of PTSD. Predictability makes stressors less stressful and lets you know when not to worry. Control is a belief of your own ability to control situations and make stressors less stressful.
WHEN PREDICTABILITY DOESN'T WORK
The basic idea is that if you don't have enough anxiety it is boring and you will perform poorly where if you have too much anxiety then you will also perform poorly. Predictability doesn't help with rare or frequent stressors. Timing is another that if something is to far away then it won't matter and if you have a pop test it won't matter because you can't do anything about it. Predictability really just helps with medium level stressors.
WHEN CONTROL DOESN'T WORK
If you believe you have control but you really don't and something bad happens you will be more stressed because of your perception of control. Especially if you still think you have control because then you might think something is wrong with you. There is something known as the internal locus of control which is this idea of thinking you can control something when you can't.
We can increase our stress response by: not having outlets, not taking time for relationships, perceiving things as only getting worse, not being good at predictability and control. Perception is the key.
THE BRAIN AND PLEASURE
Key neurotransmitter on the test is Dopamine. The dopamine kicks in not just as you are doing something exciting (cliff jumping) but the whole process of preparing to do the exciting thing will release dopamine. In many ways dopamine is an anticipatory neurotransmitter. This goes from the ventral segmental area to the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala. Opioid peptides, natural endorphins, also kick into this process. The frontal cortex, cingulate cortex, and the amygdala also play a role in if something is pleasurable or not.
In the striatum there is the densest area of dopamine centers. There is actually a strong correlation between drug addiction and base jumping, those who are looking for that next big rush.
What is Pleasure
Pleasure is not the actual event. Dopamine is highest for a base jumper right as she is starting to run. So the anticipation is the most pleasurable and after it is over the dopamine levels decrease significantly.
Delay of Gratification
If you come from a high stress environment with little pleasure in your life then you don't delay gratification when the opportunity arises. Those who do wait, however, have much more successful futures (marshmallow study).
Dopamine & Pleasure
Dopamine increases in the anticipation of pleasure. It will energize you to respond to incentives. It also is tied to infatuation however, it is not tied to mature love.
STRESS & REWARD
Uncertainty and context matter. Sometimes a situation will be benign and sometimes it will be malevolent. Tickling is not something you want for a long period of time or it will become uncomfortable and it needs to come from someone you trust to be enjoyable.
GLUCOCORTICOIDS AND PLEASURE
Glucocorticoids lead to increased dopamine at least transiently in moderate amounts.
Adrenaline Junkies
Really this should be called glucocorticoid (cortisol) junkies.
ADDICTION
Dopamine in the ventral tegmentum nucleus acumbens pathway is a key area. Cocaine and these other drugs increase this pleasure response from dopamine exponentially which is why it is so addictive. Taking drugs while stressed will increases the likelihood of you becoming addicted and decreases (momentarily) CRH and glucocorticoids. People fell less stressed and anxious when taking drugs (withdrawal effects).
PLEASURE AND MODERN ENVIRONMENT
We are overly stimulated in our modern environment (electronics). We don't have to have quiet time because we can feel every second with something. We rapidly habituate to novelty because the next novel experience could be right around the corner because of this. We are not as impressed by new things anymore. Even food is engineered to produce an addictive effect.
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