Psychology |

09May 2013

Study Finds Brain System for Emotional Self-Control

Different brain areas are activated when we choose to suppress an emotion, compared to when we are instructed to inhibit an emotion, according a new study from the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Ghent University.

In this study, published in Brain Structure and Function (citation below), the researchers scanned the brains of healthy participants and found that key brain systems were activated when choosing for oneself to suppress an emotion. They had previously linked this brain area to deciding to inhibit movement.

“This result shows that emotional self-control involves a quite different brain system from simply being told how to respond emotionally,” said lead author Dr. Simone Kuhn (Ghent University).

In most previous studies, participants were instructed to feel or inhibit an emotional response. However, in everyday life we are rarely told to suppress our emotions, and usually have to decide ourselves whether to feel or control our emotions.

In this new study the researchers showed fifteen healthy women unpleasant or frightening pictures. The participants were given a choice to feel the emotion elicited by the image, or alternatively to inhibit the emotion, by distancing themselves through an act of self-control.

The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brains of the participants. They compared this brain activity to another experiment where the participants were instructed to feel or inhibit their emotions, rather than choose for themselves.

Different parts of the brain were activated in the two situations. When participants decided for themselves to inhibit negative emotions, the scientists found activation in the dorso-medial prefrontal area of the brain. They had previously linked this brain area to deciding to inhibit movement.

In contrast, when participants were instructed by the experimenter to inhibit the emotion, a second, more lateral area was activated.

“We think controlling one’s emotions and controlling one’s behaviour involve overlapping mechanisms,” said Dr. Kuhn.

“We should distinguish between voluntary and instructed control of emotions, in the same way as we can distinguish between making up our own mind about what do, versus following instructions.”

Regulating emotions is part of our daily life, and is important for our mental health. For example, many people have to conquer fear of speaking in public, while some professionals such as health-care workers and firemen have to maintain an emotional distance from unpleasant or distressing scenes that occur in their jobs.

Professor Patrick Haggard (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience) co-author of the paper said the brain mechanism identified in this study could be a potential target for therapies.

“The ability to manage one’s own emotions is affected in many mental health conditions, so identifying this mechanism opens interesting possibilities for future research.

“Most studies of emotion processing in the brain simply assume that people passively receive emotional stimuli, and automatically feel the corresponding emotion. In contrast, the area we have identified may contribute to some individuals’ ability to rise above particular emotional situations.

“This kind of self-control mechanism may have positive aspects, for example making people less vulnerable to excessive emotion. But altered function of this brain area could also potentially lead to difficulties in responding appropriately to emotional situations.”

Source: University College London

Reference:

Kühn, S., Haggard, P., & Brass, M. (2013). Differences between endogenous and exogenous emotion inhibition in the human brain Brain Structure and Function DOI: 10.1007/s00429-013-0556-0

28Mar 2013

Awake While Asleep: Lucid Dreaming

Jason Carr ⋅ 8 Comments

Image Credit: webneel.com

For the typical dreamer, a dream is usually a phenomenon that’s only experienced in hindsight. We may be moved to wonderment by the memory of it, but oftentimes we’ve missed out on the actual moment of participation. What’s more, we may already have begun to alter many of the details due to foggy recollection. We’re thus already experiencing a translation of our dream by the time we awaken.

In order to catch the legitimate experience while it’s actually occurring we have to somehow become conscious and aware in the midst of a dream in progress. This is called lucid dreaming. It is possible, with practice and clear intentions, for us to literally be “awake” while sleeping. We can be as consciously aware inside of a dream as we are in waking life.

A lucid dream will be marked by a moment of recognition. In one way or another, you will find yourself saying, “I think I’m dreaming this right now!” What happens next will be crucial, because it’s very easy for us to slip out of this state of alertness and let our dreams move on without our conscious participation. A lot of literature about lucid dreaming advises us to try and find our hands at this point. This is one simple means of focusing and of holding on to the moment of awareness for as long as possible. Our bodies probably serve as the most trustworthy points of reference for us because we identify ourselves with them so much during our waking hours.

Unfortunately, this moment of lucidity within a dream can be experienced at random times; and many people never arrive at it. How then can we actively seek – or invite – lucid dreams? First we have to believe that such a thing as lucid dreaming is possible. If you look at your dreaming life as just another kind of awareness and experience – the other side of waking consciousness – then it will seem much more feasible for you to remain alert when you enter into this other state.

If you’re clear in your belief that lucid dreaming is a natural process, then you can train your mind to be alert to it with gentle reminders. Simply tell yourself, before going to sleep at night, that you will awaken inside your dreams. We usually don’t carry conscious suggestions with us into the dream state only because we so firmly believe that waking and dreaming are such distinctly different activities. Tell yourself that, although you are about to slip into another realm of consciousness, you will continue to be alert and responsive.

Nightly dream activity typically feels divorced from the rest of life, like a bizarre side-show. Lucid dreaming can teach us that we’re capable of many levels of awareness, and that each one offers valuable treasures of wisdom, knowledge and insight. We can learn how truly flexible consciousness is, and how many different environments it can operate in. Anyone who has been touched by the inexplicable wonder of a dream can learn to carry some of this magic back up into their waking lives. The daily world of ordinary consciousness may never look the same again.

25Feb 2013

Understanding Your Personality Type

Jason Carr ⋅ 1 Comment

Many schools of modern psychology have recognized four basic personality types, with various sub-groupings being comprised of mixtures of these basic traits. The main four are like the “primary colors” of the social palette. Although people can oftentimes find labels confining, an understanding of these basic personality types – and their distinctive approaches to life – may help you to understand how you see yourself and others, as well as your place in relation to the world.

The idea of personality types is not a modern concept. The ancient Greeks, for example, recognized that humanity’s approach to life and problem solving tended to fall within four key categories, and this idea may have originated even earlier. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung made an extensive study of personality types, and many of his deductions have survived into modern psychological practice.

While labels can oftentimes be restrictive – and fail to honor the uniqueness of each person – some understanding of the basic personality types can help you to interact with others and make decisions with a greater degree of self-awareness. While most of us will share in the qualities of each group to some degree, you may find yourself resonating strongly with one in particular as you read its description. You could think of this as your primary stance in life, the way in which you see yourself in relation to the world.

Choleric people are drivers and doers. This type is the prototypical extravert. People in this category tend to be driven, organized and disciplined in the pursuit of their goals. Decisiveness is the dominant fact of their nature, and they back this up with a strong will. The shadow aspect of their will can express itself as stubbornness, arrogance and lack of consideration for the perceptions and feelings of others.

Sanguine (also known as expressive) people are filled with spontaneous, creative energy. This type makes for a good entertainer as well as a fun and energetic friend. The shadow side of the sanguine can be very self-centered, caught up in its own world. This can express itself in an overall lack of organization, and the inability – or unwillingness – to reciprocate in personal relationships.

Phlegmatic (also known as amiable) people are peacekeepers. They dislike conflict and strive to promote harmony. They tend to be good listeners. Amiable people can be counted on; they consistently pull through even when the going gets tough. On the downside, they may have problems communicating or setting limits because they’re so averse to confrontation. They may avoid certain responsibilities – particularly those involving decision making – for this reason.

Analytical people are neat and organized. They live their lives according to high personal standards. Their approach to life’s various challenges is typically persistent and thorough, and it proceeds according to a well thought out plan. They are good problem solvers for this reason. On the downside, the analytical tendency towards high standards can become overly rigid and demanding. Such people can become pessimistic or easily hurt when the world doesn’t live up to their expectations. The original word for this personality type was melancholy, but this is not so often used nowadays because of people’s tendency to associate that word with despondency.

Understanding which personality type you resonate with most strongly can help you to interpret your interactions with other people better. It helps you to perceive the various conflicts in life as less a matter of right or wrong and more a matter of people’s different values. This awareness can serve you well when making major life decisions – for example, those involving career choices or the pursuit of an intimate partnership.

Wanna find out what your personality type is? Take a free, confidential assessment here. Once you’re done, let me know if the results align with what you perceive as your personality. I’m especially interested in hearing about anything you might disagree with or results that you find surprising.

16Feb 2013

Witch Persecutions and the Perils of Shadow Projection

Jason Carr ⋅ 1 Comment

Image Credit: Hjoranna/Deviant Art

The history of our race is highlighted by many bright peaks and shadowy valleys. We have seen lofty heights and despairing lows. Occasionally there have been black gulfs almost too horrible to contemplate. The Holocaust in Nazi Germany is assured a permanent place on this list. Another black splotch upon the tapestry of human history is the rampant and mindless persecution of alleged witches, which cast its cruel shadow over many parts of Europe and the New World over a span of nearly three centuries (roughly 1450 to 1750). Oh, and let’s not forget 2013…

This former atrocity culminated in the rise of the Inquisition, which spread its influence into great portions of France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and eventually Colonial America – most famously, during the witch “trials” in Salem, Massachusetts. Neighbor could not trust neighbor during those times, as hearsay and gossip was sufficient to cast suspicion upon an alleged witch. Once suspicion was established, the victim was almost never “found” innocent.

Credit: Shutterstock

Such proceedings bore little resemblance to anything that we would consider a justice system. The burden of proof lay upon the accused, and it was a no-win situation. Typically, the available means through which victims could “prove” their innocence were fatal anyway, such as by drowning (because only witches could float) or bearing Inquisitorial torture unto death.

At the sickening peak of its influence, the Inquisition was big business, too. Many of its victims were wealthy landowners whose properties were forfeit to the Catholic Church after their conviction. The persecution of witches also profited those who built the stakes as well as the innkeepers who housed all the people who came to watch the burnings.

The witch hunts are but one example – albeit a very dramatic one – of the tendency that human beings have to project the darker side of their nature upon specific individuals. These individuals are then obliged to play out the role of scapegoats. Psychologically speaking, there isn’t much difference between the way in which alleged witches were demonized centuries ago and the ways in which minority groups – racial, political, or sexual – can be demonized in our day.

The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung coined the term shadow to denote those aspects of the unconscious that a person fears and/or finds repugnant. The shadow is something inside ourselves that we don’t want to be aware of – so we project it upon others instead. In Jungian psychology, this is the true root of all hatred. The object of hatred always resembles something that lies, unrecognized, within the hater.

Persecution in any form will only disappear from our world when enough people resolve to take personal responsibility for their inner reality and face what is within them without projecting it upon others. The people in power during the reign of the Inquisition hated many aspects of human nature that the official religious beliefs of the time had made taboo, such as sexuality, personal spiritual revelation and a sacred sense of nature. Such hatred, spawned by ignorance and projection, led them to become a malignant force themselves. Philosophies that encourage us to see the worst in human nature must always bring about such results.

Reference:

Reeves, K. (2000). Racism and projection of the shadow. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 37 (1), 80-88 DOI: 10.1037/h0087844

Woolf, A. (2000). Witchcraft or Mycotoxin? The Salem Witch Trials Clinical Toxicology, 38 (4), 457-460 DOI: 10.1081/CLT-100100958

06Feb 2013

The History and Basic Principles of Archetypal Psychology

Jason Carr ⋅ 4 Comments

The basic philosophy behind archetypal psychology was inspired by Carl Jung’s concept of the archetypes: Primordial symbols, appearing predominantly within our dreams, which are the common heritage of all mankind. The concept of archetypes implies that there are sources of health, healing, strength and wisdom within the psyche that are accessible to all of us. Archetypal psychology seeks to open up connections to this deeper source, believing that the true cures for a wide array of mental and emotional problems can be found there.

In the modern day, archetypal psychology has evolved into a particular therapeutic approach that focuses on patients’ dreams. It weds elements of broader spiritual belief with more conventional psychological approaches. The term was first coined by psychologist James Hillman, who expanded upon the dream explorations of others who had come before him – particularly Jung.

Carl Jung was one of the first psychiatrists to shift the focus of therapy to a patient’s inner life. Up until that point, the field of psychology had largely been dependent upon the established social order as its basis of measuring mental health. Basically, a person was viewed as normally functional to the extent to which he or she had been able to adapt to the status quo. Jung put forth the idea that the inner life in itself – particularly, as it expresses itself through our nightly dreams – is the true measure of psychological health.

R.D. Laing took Jung’s skepticism of the “wisdom of the status quo” a step further by posing this question: What if neuroticism is actually built in to the social structure, and supported by it? In that case, the therapeutic process must lead a person away from accepted social norms and towards the wisdom and knowledge of his or her own inner life.

This became one of the central principles of archetypal psychology. The outside world is not used as a reference point to measure a patient’s state of well-being. It is the dream that is looked upon as the true authority with regards to a person’s inner condition. The core of practice, therefore, revolves around trying to ascertain what a dream is communicating and then relaying this to a patient in terms that he or she can understand.

Around this core practice, numerous schools have evolved. Each one of them approaches the mystery and wisdom of the dream in a different way. Some stress the intellectual understanding of dream symbols and their meaning. Others focus on a patient’s emotional reality, and pay particular attention to the feeling responses that dreams evoke. In all cases, however, dreams are relied upon as the most trustworthy reflection of a person’s inner challenges and strengths. The world within is seen as not only the source of all of our difficulties but also the solution to them.

Reference:

James Hollis (2010). The Archetypal Imagination Journal of Analytical Psychology, 55 (2), 302-303 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5922.2010.01842_3.x

Hunt H (1992). Dreams of Freud and Jung: reciprocal relationships between social relations and archetypal/transpersonal imagination. Psychiatry, 55 (1), 28-47 PMID: 1557468

Goss P (2006). Discontinuities in the male psyche: waiting, deadness and disembodiment. Archetypal and clinical approaches. The Journal of analytical psychology, 51 (5), 681-99 PMID: 17064336

28Jan 2013

Beliefs and Questions About the Paranormal

Jason Carr ⋅ 17 Comments

While people of different beliefs from all over the world believe in an afterlife, many of them can’t seem to agree with each other or accept views other than their own. Yet, men have talked about the supernatural since the beginning of time. Recently, authors like Bill Guggenheim, Dr. Raymond Moody, and Dr. Eben Alexander have written books that explore the existence of the consciousness after death.

When science cannot easily explain how things happen, such as paranormal activity, people question whether the phenomenon is true. As in religion and politics, many attribute different meanings to the words and then argue about who is right. Do angels exist? Do they differ from spirit guides? If everything is energy, where do people go when they die? If the Wise Men followed the star in the East, did they use astrology?

Christians believe in life after death. So do metaphysicians, and Muslims. Why, then, is there so much controversy and skepticism of other people’s views? If there is an afterlife, should we doubt near death experiences? For some, the question becomes one of whose experience is authentic. Is it the person with whom they agree? In the Western world, for instance, many doctors give little credence to alternative medicine. But what about the similarities between descriptions of the nervous system and the chakras or the meridians? All of these methods deal with physical anatomy and the vital life energy that stems from the brain, spinal cord, and organs.

Another example is the similarity between the halos seen on early paintings of religious figures and the concept of angels having wings or humans having auras. People sometimes say they have “bad feelings” about emotions or events, and spiritual healers say that “blocked energy” causes disease. Do both of these mean the same thing?

In Hello from Heaven, authors Bill and Judy Guggenheim discuss their research on ADCs, forms after death communication that occur spontaneously, without the help of mediums or other forms of assistance. After interviewing over 3,000 people about their firsthand experiences, the Guggenheims estimated that somewhere between 50 and 100 million people had experienced episodes they interpreted as being messages from loved ones.

In the 1970s, Dr. Raymond Moody brought the phenomenon of near death experiences, or NDEs, to the national awareness with his first book, Life after Life. After four decades or study, Dr. Moody still says that, based on what his patients have told him, he has no doubt the people he has interviewed have experienced a glimpse of the afterlife.

Late last year, the concept of the NDE gained greater exposure with the publication of Dr. Eben Alexander’s Proof of Heaven. A skeptical neurosurgeon who contracted a deadly form of meningitis before slipping into a coma, Dr. Alexander wrote about his brief look at the near death experience. As in all accounts of the supernatural, however, skeptics challenged Dr. Alexander’s claims.

While no one knows for certain the answer to any of these questions, well-respected writers and philosophers have spoken of life after death for centuries. Edgar Cayce, an early 20th century Sunday School teacher known as the Sleeping Prophet, not only believed that people communicate with the astral realm, but he also believed in reincarnation. Emanuel Swedenborg, eighteenth century Swedish theologian, philosopher, and scientific investigator, spent much of his life attempting to explain the supernatural and heavily influenced the work of writers like William Blake and Henry James, as well as mystics like Raymond Moody and Edgar Cayce.

In 1890, the Swedenborg Society summed up their mentor’s teachings in the following statement:

“There are two worlds, a spiritual world where angels
and spirits are, and a natural world where men are.”

Although all of these stories of the supernatural have common threads, they also vary in details. Nevertheless, one common truth lies at the heart of all of these great teachings, from Buddha and Jesus to Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama. Living beings are all part of one great force, and love is the glue that holds them together.

Reference:

Mobbs D, & Watt C (2011). There is nothing paranormal about near-death experiences: how neuroscience can explain seeing bright lights, meeting the dead, or being convinced you are one of them. Trends in cognitive sciences, 15 (10), 447-9 PMID: 21852181

Feinsod M, & Langer KG (2012). The philosopher’s swoon–the concussion of Michel de Montaigne: a historical vignette. World neurosurgery, 78 (3-4), 371-4 PMID: 22381306

30Nov 2012

The Joys that Dogs Can Bring to Our Lives

Jason Carr ⋅ 12 Comments

A strong and unspoken bond has existed between human beings and dogs for centuries. Even prehistoric man considered dogs to be ideal companions, a fact that is attested by numerous cave paintings and ancient remains. What is it about these animals that brings comfort to our hearts and spontaneous fun into our lives? No doubt there are many factors that contribute to our enduring relationship with them, but most of them are connected with the way that dogs, if treated with love, will reflect that love back to us unconditionally.

The bonds that we form with our canine friends can connect us to a whole world of experience that we otherwise might miss out on in our fast-paced and highly technological society. When a dog stops along a woodland path to investigate a scent or sound, then our attention is drawn there as well. Such experiences bring us in touch with the movements and rhythms of nature, which otherwise can escape our notice in our daily lives. Dogs bring a piece of the wilderness into our homes, and remind us of where we came from.

In effect, they bring nature back into our lives. Their response in the moment is immediate, complete and uninhibited – regardless of the situation. They aren’t burdened with the kind of self-consciousness and reflection that can sap so much of the energy and joy out of our lives. Spending time with dogs, we can begin to tap into that sense of spontaneity and abandon ourselves. Dogs may shy away from certain people or experiences, or react with fear or aggression, but they don’t judge. Once they make up their minds to love us, it will take quite a lot for us to fall out of favor with them.

Because they are so uninhibited, dogs can be ideal icebreakers in our social world. We may feel the impulse to approach someone and then consider a dozen reasons why we shouldn’t, but our canine friends have no such scruples. They express their interest in other people as freely as they express everything else. As a consequence of this, we may suddenly find ourselves engaging in a conversation with a nice and attractive fellow dog-walker in the park. Believe it or not, many an entangled leash has led to a first date or new friendship. Dogs not only can initiate conversation with their very presence, but also give us plenty of things to talk about with people who might otherwise remain strangers.

The connection that exists between dogs and their owners is very old, instinctive, and unconditional. It is also uncomplicated, which can be a very heartwarming thing in this oft-times confused and troubled age. Dogs are present with their feelings and needs in ways that we are oftentimes afraid to be. We can learn a lot from them in that regard, and they’re likely to be patient and forgiving teachers. The effort that they demand from us in terms of feeding, exercise, and attention they repay many times over with loyalty, affection, and sheer enthusiasm for our presence in their lives.

Our Pups:

: Sadie and Brandy

: Zoe Bear

: Lindsey Gray and Brandy

: Gizzy Pooh

: Brandy (Lil’ Bit)

: Sadie

27Nov 2012

The Sources of Violence and Conflict Within Us

Jason Carr ⋅ 6 Comments

By and large, humanity has forgotten the relationship between thoughts and reality. The world that we experience is the reflection of what we carry inside us. Mystics, sages and shamans throughout the ages have tried to remind us of this fact. Western culture has largely turned its back upon such notions, however. Since the Industrial Revolution, we’ve increasingly viewed the world as something separate from ourselves, and thus not responsive to our inner life – something to be manipulated, tamed and conquered. Within the reality painted by such beliefs, thoughts appear to have no influence; and violence seems like power.

When we’re involved in a conflict, it is because something has touched upon an internal wound and/or we’re trying to draw energy from those around us in some way. You could apply this to personal strife as well as to larger global conflicts. Both of these stances are fueled by one underlying assumption: That we do not create our reality for ourselves, but are rather at the mercy of an exterior world separate from us.

The acknowledgment of our personal power to create reality is the key to all forms of healing and problem solving; and the misunderstanding of it is the source of all our problems and sufferings, both individually and collectively. When a country wages war upon another for the sake of resources, it is because of an underlying conviction that abundance is not really created from within. Conflict is always fueled by our ignorance of our own divinely creative natures.

This can be an empowering truth. The next time you feel overwhelmed and insignificant in the face of wars and other predicaments on a mass scale, remind yourself that this world is the mirror of your inner condition. You can then take personal responsibility, explore that inner reality, and see where you are contributing to the light and where you are creating darkness. There is no God to thank or Devil to blame. Tracing everything in our life experience back to their sources within us empowers us to direct our lives in the most positive and expansive way. It also implies that all of our conflicts and dilemmas, collectively, can be conquered with the knowledge and application of our true creative power.

No militaries would exist anywhere in the world if we did not carry the seeds of violence within ourselves. Ages ago, the use of force to settle conflicts was inspired by deep fear within our race. Some of that fear persists today, and is projected upon foreign lands that are then proclaimed our enemies. But much of the persistence of war – of the veritable addiction to violence that afflicts so many people in this world – can be attributed to an underlying sense of powerlessness.

From the standpoint of our separation from our deeper selves, hate seems more powerful than love; and war seems more effective than compassion and understanding. If we don’t understand and feel the connection between our thoughts and our outer experiences, then it seems to us that manipulating the physical environment is the only way to achieve goals and create change. In that arena, so much of the true thrust of love and consciousness becomes invisible. It seems so ineffective alongside a bomb or a machine gun. In reality, it is so much more powerful. Human consciousness created bombs and machine guns in the first place, long before human hands invented them.

Reference:

Pearson DG, Ross FD, & Webster VL (2012). The importance of context: evidence that contextual representations increase intrusive memories. Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry, 43 (1), 573-80 PMID: 21867664

Grof, S. (1996). Consciousness evolution and planetary survival: Psychological roots of Human violence and greed World Futures, 47 (4), 243-262 DOI: 10.1080/02604027.1996.9972599

09Nov 2012

Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Jason Carr ⋅ 9 Comments

Generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD) involves a core group of physical symptoms along with frequent and uncontrollable worries that are often irrationally intense. It can be difficult to diagnose GAD, as its severity and nature may dramatically vary from person to person. However, the following eleven symptoms are the most common, so if you experience two or more of these in a short period of time, then you should make an appointment with your doctor to discuss how to improve your quality of life by managing your anxiety more effectively.

Restlessness and concentration problems:  If you have GAD, you probably fidget quite often and find it hard to sit still for long periods. You may feel on edge, as though you cannot relax even when you are in a safe environment. In addition, concentration problems are common. It might be tough for you to focus on studying or working, and your short-term memory may be worse than it used to be.
A sense of impending doom:  Most sufferers of GAD regularly experience a crushing and acute sense that something bad is about to happen. This feeling is baseless, but it can crop up in perfectly normal circumstances. When it does, you will suddenly feel as though you are about to die (or about to be in some form of life-threatening danger).
Experiencing fear before or during social events:  While going out to dinner or attending a party should be an exciting and fun event, you might find that such invitations fill you with dread rather than pleasure. GAD sufferers commonly find that they are disproportionately concerned about how to dress, what to say, and how to act in social groups. Additionally, even if you are being treated with kindness and respect during a social outing, you may still experience an increased heart rate, sweaty hands, and the desire to leave as soon as possible.
Feeling out of touch with reality:  This symptom is sometimes called depersonalization, and it tends to make you feel as though you are in a waking dream. You may also experience dizziness and feel as though you are moving at a slightly different speed to everyone else.
Irritability and impatience:  You might snap at other people without thinking, and will probably find that you easily become annoyed by unexpected slowness. Most people with GAD also respond defensively when questioned about their anxiety, knowing that they have irrationally intense fears but feeling extremely embarrassed that an outsider has recognized this.
Obsessing about physical sensations:  Although GAD does not have to be associated with any particular phobias, sufferers are often hypochondriacs. This means that they live in a constant state of fear that something is wrong with their bodies. You might interpret every ache or pain as a symptom of cancer, or you may habitually check yourself for signs that you are having a stroke. This obsession with physical sensations can be especially difficult to live with, as it can create an unproductive loop. Unusual sensations cause feelings of anxiety, but suffering from anxiety can cause unusual sensations (therefore creating even more anxiety).
Heart palpitations:  Anxiety problems are often connected to a fast or irregular heartbeat. Even when your pulse rate is normal, you might notice that you are uncommonly aware of your own heart beating. However, it is important to note that you should always have a racing or irregular heartbeat investigated thoroughly (in order to make sure that you do not have a potentially dangerous heart condition).
Excessive sweating:  GAD is connected to frequent and uncomfortable episodes of sweating. These are usually accompanied by racing heart or particularly strong worries about your own well-being (whether social or physical).
Stomach aches and diarrhea:  Being constantly or frequently anxious can easily leave you with a malfunctioning digestive system. As a result, those who have GAD commonly experience intestinal cramping and loose stools.
Being scared that you are being negatively evaluated:  GAD sufferers often experience acute anxiety at the thought of making a fool of themselves in public, and so social situations are regularly perceived as dangerous chances to be ridiculed. You might even find that you feel uncomfortable just walking down the street, worrying that strangers you encounter are thinking that you are unattractive or poorly dressed.
Poor quality of sleep:  Finally, insomnia is a common symptom of GAD. In addition to have trouble sleeping, you might feel unrested even after a full eight hours of sleep.

Suffering from general anxiety disorder can be very upsetting and confusing, as it often involves periods of intense anxiety during which the cause is not readily identifiable. If you suspect that you might have an anxiety problem, see your doctor as soon as possible. You may be worried that you’ll be viewed as being over-dramatic, but you shouldn’t be. Doctors regularly see and treat people with anxiety issues. Your feelings and concerns will be extremely familiar to your doctor, and they will put you on the path towards managing your anxiety more effectively (using medication, therapy, or a combination of both).

Reference:

Dupuy, J., & Ladouceur, R. (2008). Cognitive processes of generalized anxiety disorder in comorbid generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22 (3), 505-514 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2007.05.010

Barrera, T., & Norton, P. (2009). Quality of life impairment in generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and panic disorder Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23 (8), 1086-1090 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2009.07.011

Lawrence, A., & Brown, T. (2009). Differentiating Generalized Anxiety Disorder From Anxiety Disorder Not Otherwise Specified The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 197 (12), 879-886 DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181c29992

Additional Learning Resources:

31Oct 2012

The Possibility of Cetacean Civilizations

Jason Carr ⋅ 7 Comments

Some people have proposed that planets composed mostly of water could serve as cradles for advanced cetacean civilizations. There may be some truth to this. Research proves that cetacean brains have changed considerably throughout the 55 million years that they’ve inhabited the Earth. That’s one of the reasons that they’re so often cited in academic research involving astrobiology. Cetacean species represent the only real alternative evolution to intelligence that’s currently recognized by a majority of scientists.

While it might seem arrogant to say, cetaceans are not currently thought to be as intelligent as humans. Aquatic mammals are brilliant, and they sometimes seem to have psychological processes that resemble those of humans. In fact, they have many of the same psychological issues that humans do. However, they aren’t quite the same here on Earth.

Still, it seems that aquatic mammals could reach an even higher level of development if given enough time and/or the right environment. Proposing worlds where this is true is an interesting thought experiment. Tools and technology have evolved on Earth to be useful to those with hands and feet. This makes it hard to believe that aquatic mammals could construct civilizations resembling those on Earth.

Nevertheless, it’s possible for dolphins and whales to use many tools adapted for them by human handlers. They might very well have developed similar adaptations in their own cultures. No colony of such animals on Earth has ever created such things by themselves, so for now it’s merely an interesting concept. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for this to occur on a planet where there was little or no threat to survival.

Some research has provided fantastical solutions for problems involving the use of tools by aquatic mammals. For instance, writers have sometimes suggested that machines could be manipulated by some form of telepathy. For now, that sort of thing is completely beyond our comprehension or understanding. Regardless though, the idea that aquatic beings could have developed superior intelligence and capabilities on other planets is a pretty cool one in my opinion. What do you think?