The Anxiety Optimisation

The Anxiety Optimisation

As a regular Big Bang Theory viewer I always enjoy the geekiness and intellect of the four men which are contrasted with Penny's social skills and common sense. The specific scene which made me want to research a little more is the following;

Sheldon - The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon: "According to a classic psychological experiment by Yerkes and Dodson, in order to maximize performance, one must create a state of productive anxiety. So I’d like to ask you all to do something for me. Keep me on my toes. Just throw me off my game. Essentially, go out of your way to make my life miserable." - The Big Bang Theory, Series 08 Episode 13

Sheldon found himself in a life crises where he changed his career field (working on proton decay) and accomplished nothing. Now he wondered if he made a mistake deciding to study dark matter. Later Sheldon decides in order to maximize his performance he must create a state of productive anxiety. He wants the guys to go out of their way to make his life miserable which they are glad to do.

This might be a state where you find yourself in regularly, not being productive and accomplishing the minimum. This can either causes a person to become 'frustrated and motivated for change' or 'unproductive and lazy'.  As I want to be the former rather than the latter I decided to look into Yerkes-Dodson law.

The Yerkes–Dodson law referrers to an empirical relationship between arousal and performance.The law was first described in 1908 by psychologists R. Yerkes and J.D. Dodson. It dictates that one's performance increases with physiological or mental arousal, but only up to a point. When levels of arousal become too high, performance decreases.

The Research Study

Yerkes-Dodson Law

They discovered that mild electrical shocks could be used to motivate rats to complete a maze, but when the electrical shocks became too strong, the rats would scurry around in random directions to escape. The experiment demonstrated that increasing stress and arousal levels could help focus motivation and attention on the task at hand, but only up to a certain point.

How do you determine what arousal levels are ideal?

The key thing to remember is that this can vary from one task to the next. Research has found, for example, that performance levels decrease earlier for complex tasks than for simple tasks even with the same levels of arousal. What does this mean exactly? If you are performing a relatively simple task, you are capable of dealing with a much larger range of arousal levels.

The anxiety you experience before an exam is one example of how the Yerkes-Dodson Law operates.  An optimal level of stress can help you focus on the test and remember the information that you studied; too much test anxiety can impair your ability to concentrate and make it more difficult to remember the correct answers.

So where does the "sweet spot" lie? The formula for optimal functioning includes a balance between the demands of the situation and a person's skills; very often this occurs when we are drived to use our abilities to their utmost. But just where that optimal point will be varies widely from person to person. - read more about this: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-brain-and-emotional-intelligence/201203/the-sweet-spot-achievement

What can you do to increase optimal functioning?

The Drive Theory (Zajonc, R.B.;1965) explained that we need an "excitatory state produced by a homeostatic disturbance" (eg. increased arousal or stress to accomplish a task), which causes an instinctual need which drives the behaviour of an individual. It also states that if there is a presence of an audience it will either facilitate better performance of a task, or inhibit the performance of a task. Furthermore, Zajonc's drive theory suggests that the variable determining direction of performance is whether the task is composed of a correct dominant response (that is, the task is perceived as being subjectively easy to the individual) or an incorrect dominant response (perceived as being subjectively difficult). N.B. Cottrell in 1972 suggested that the correctness of the dominant responses is also influenced by an expectation of social reward or punishment based on performance.

Here we can see that there are three important parts to increase optimal functioning to have a strong performance. These are:

1.) Optimal level of stress.  It can either be because you are frustrated and motivated for change and,or you decided to set a goal for yourself. The end result is what should drive you.

2.) Your dominant responses. These are determent by the skills you have developed in yourself over time, and continue to do so. The more you practice your skills, the more often the correct dominant response will occur during a stressful situation.

3.) Social expectation. Also, as seen by Sheldon in Big Bang Theory, he asks the guys to keep him on his toes. Therefor he added the the presence of an audience in order to have a social expectation. This is something you can also do in your own life. Involve friends, family, or even social media to build an expectation from them. Inform them that you are busy with a task and that you want to improve your performance in this task. It could be as simple as telling friends to support you during your weight loss process or during the building of a new company. Either way, the social expectation will push you to work harder.

By diligently practicing these three important parts of optimal functioning you can improve your performance outcome of your task and goals ahead.  

References:

1. Diamond, David M.; Adam M. Campbell; Collin R. Park; Joshua Halonen; Phillip R. Zoladz (2007-03-28). "The Temporal Dynamics Model of Emotional Memory Processing: A Synthesis on the Neurobiological Basis of Stress-Induced Amnesia, Flashbulb and Traumatic Memories, and the Yerkes-Dodson Law". Neural Plasticity. 2007: 60803. doi:10.1155/2007/60803.

2. Zajonc, R. B.; Heingartner, A.; Herman, E. M. (1969). "Social enhancement and impairment of performance in the cockroach". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 13 (2): 83. doi:10.1037/h0028063

Written by:

Somari Coetzee
Registered Counsellor

Your Brain & The Roller Coaster

 

What Happens in Your Brain While Being on a Roller Coaster?

Have you ever wondered why you get a sudden surge of overwhelming anxiety and fear before and during a ride on rollercoaster? I recently visited Ratanga Junction, which is a theme park in Cape Town, South Arica. My friends and I wanted to be kids again and have some fun.

Ratanga Junction - Cape Town, RSA

At arrival at the theme park, the first ride encountered was the Slingshot. The slingshot is a high adrenaline ride rated as one of the most thrilling extreme rides in the world. As explained by their website it is a ride that combine elements from skydiving and bungie-jumping. The Slingshot skycoaster enables “flyers” to enjoy the exhilarating sensations experienced in these two sports. As they say, "All you need are nerves of steel".

They air you to the top of the launch tower, by strapping flight suits to you and a partner. With nothing between them and the ground. The flight suits are connected to flight cables and on pulling their own rip cord, riders plunge in a 30m free fall at 80 to 90 km/h towards the ground before the swinging upwards in a 180-degree arc and then straight down again. Thereafter the ride settles into a slowing swing before being retrieved by the flight crew.

The Slingshhot, Ratanga Junction.

https://youtu.be/SKK4TVBIxso 

So why would people do this? Cause the Slingshot opens the skies to everyone, making humans’ dream of “flight” accessible to all. This would however sound a bit crazy for someone who is afraid of heights and death...

While I was looking at the people being shot through the air and considering doing it myself, my heart started pounding, it felt like I couldn’t breathe, started sweating, and felt nauseous. These are all symptoms that could lead to a panic attack.

What is a Panic Attack?

Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, numbness, or a feeling that something bad is going to happen. The maximum degree of symptoms occurs within minutes. Typically, they last for about 30 minutes but the duration can vary from seconds to hours.

So, what happens in your brain in such a situation?

Paul Li, a lecturer of cog­nitive science at the University of California, Berke­ley, explains:

"When people feel stressed, their sympathetic nervous system typically revs up, releasing energy and preparing the body for action. Then the parasympathetic nervous system steps in, and the body stabilizes to a calmer state. If the parasympathetic nervous system is somehow unable to do its job, a person will remain fired up and may experience the heightened arousal characteristic of a panic attack". Dean Mobbs, wrote: “When our defense mechanisms malfunction, this may result in an over exaggeration of the threat, leading to increased anxiety and, in extreme cases, panic.” - https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-happens-in-the-brain-when-we-experience/

Researchers have identified certain regions of the brain that become hyperactive during a panic attack. These regions include the amygdala, which is the fear center of the brain, and parts of the midbrain that control a range of functions, including our experience of pain. Activity in an area of the midbrain called the periaqueductal gray, is a region that provokes the body’s defensive responses, such as freezing or running.

Adrenaline and Norepinephrine is released by the stress adrenal gland and is responsible for the fight or flight response. Adrenaline causes vasoconstriction and results in slightly less blood flowing to the head which causes dizziness and light-headedness. Norepinephrine causes you to become more aware, awake, and focused. These hormones can also cause blood sugar to be drawn away from the brain and toward the major muscles in your body. These hormones are released within seconds as a message is received from the brain that a stressful situation has presented itself.

The next hormone which is released is Cortisol.  It takes a little more time -- minutes, rather than seconds -- for you to feel the effects of cortisol in the face of stress.  When the amygdala recognizes a threat, it sends a message to the hypothalamus, which releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). CRH then tells the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which tells the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.

A shot of Adrenaline and Norepinephrine last approximately 10-20 minutes in the body where cortisol can last hours if you stew on a problem. The body can continuously releases cortisol, and chronic elevated levels can lead to serious issues. Too much cortisol can suppress the immune system, increase blood pressure and sugar, decrease libido, produce acne, contribute to obesity and more (For more info about Epinephrine read - https://www.drugs.com/mtm/epinephrine-injection.html).

That is why you should stop yourself from thinking about that guy who cut you off in traffic!

The Cobra, Ratanga Junction.

While I was busy experiencing my symptoms of a possible panic attack. I knew that I must calm myself, in order to strap myself to a flight suit and I did this through applying emotional regulation techniques

What is Emotional Regulation?

Emotional self-regulation or regulation of emotion is the ability to respond to the ongoing demands of experience with the range of emotions in a manner, that is socially tolerable and sufficiently flexible. This permits spontaneous reactions as well as the ability to delay spontaneous reactions as needed. It can also be defined as extrinsic and intrinsic processes responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and modifying emotional reactions.

The technique I used was counterconditioning. Counterconditioning is when a response to a particular stimulus is replaced by a new response. This new response is intended to distract you from the stimulus (being pulled up and shot through the air). Systematic desensitization is one technique that falls under the counterconditioning umbrella. To use this technique, you basically learn to use relaxation and other distress tolerance techniques when faced with uncomfortable emotional experiences (e.g., fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt, shame). By practicing this actively and deliberately directly in the face of distressing emotions allows you to reduce the sense of urgency that often accompanies painful emotions (i.e., fight or flight).

I was mindful during the situation and focused my thoughts on my breathing rhythm and deliberately calmed my breathing down. I used 4 seconds in - 4 seconds out technique. By doing this I calmed my heart rate and experienced optimal and clear thinking. I then focused my thoughts on telling myself things such as "you are okay", "how save it is", "how beautiful the view will be" etc. I continued doing these techniques while standing in the queue, waiting for our turn and being pulled up into the air. In retrospect, I experienced the flood of adrenaline before I even queued for the "ride" and stopped the release of any further cortisol levels in my body. Also by being successful in this activity I stopped my body from producing any of these hormones during the day on all of the other rides. Which sucked a bit because then I didn't feel any adrenaline, while my friends were shouting like crazy.

So next time when you feel a panic attack about to happen, practice your counterconditioning techniques and take control of your mind and body. But don't be too good at it, otherwise you will spoil your fun at a theme park!

For more information on emotional regulation read - http://www.selfinjury.bctr.cornell.edu/perch/resources/what-is-emotion-regulationsinfo-brief.pdf

Written by:

Somari Coetzee
Registered Counsellor

What is a Registered Counsellor?

The Role of a Registered Counsellor

Many are unsure of what a registered counsellor is and how you can benefit from such an individual.

The HPCSA states it the following way:

"The  role of the Registered Counsellor is to make psychological services accessible to the diverse South African population and to provide psychological and preventative interventions that focus on support and promote the enhancement of wellbeing in community contexts. This includes individuals, families, groups, communities and excludes psychotherapeutic intervention."

Registered Counsellors differ from psychologist in the sense that that their primary focus is to prevent psychological problems in individuals and communities to occur, promote psychological well-being, intervene when individuals are experiencing high stressors, and appropriately refer if the individual has a psychological issue which is out of their scope of practice.

Counsellors can assist individuals to find immediate solutions to personal difficulties or strategies to how to deal with the difficulty. They can assist with skills training. Teaching the person to see the "Why is this happening? How do we live with this? and How do we change this?" It is not working on deep rooted issues but rather how to be aware of the consequences it has on your everyday life and how to respond to it in more effective ways.   

The Scope of Practice for Reg. Counsellors, according to the HPCSA is:

* Their primary role at a preventative and promotional level involves screening and engaging early  
   and appropriate levels of intervention
* Screening and identification of mental health challenges.
* Containment of presenting difficulties
* Provide preventative, developmental counselling services and interventions 
* Psycho-education and training
* Promotion of primary psychosocial well being
* Referral to appropriate professionals or other appropriate resources (know when to refer to a psychiatrist or psychologist
* Working in a context appropriate, multi professional team
* Assessments (intellectual assessment, BASIC functioning, kinetic figure drawing).

For more information regarding the Counsellors and the HPCSA view  the following file:

http://www.hpcsa.co.za/Uploads/editor/UserFiles/downloads/psych/psycho_policy/form_258_registered_counsellor_%2004oct_2013.pdf

What do you have to do, to become a Registered Counsellor?

"Becoming a Registered Counsellor. The minimum requirements for registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as a Registered Counsellor are as follows: a 4-year Bachelor of Psychology professional degree approved by the HPCSA, including a 720 hour practicum." - http://www.sacap.edu.za/counselling/becoming-registered-counsellor/

Professional training includes but is not limited to the following: 

* Professional ethics and conduct
* Interviewing techniques
* Client observation skills
* Basic counselling skills
* Development of preventative and developmental programmes
* Report writing
* Conceptualization skills, bio-psychosocial and systems theory as appropriate for community interventions
* Structured trauma counselling  
* Community understanding and intervention  
* Psychometric competencies (within their scope of practice)
* Cultural beliefs and diversity
* Language sensitivity
* Entrepreneurial skills 
* Psycho-educational skills and
* A thorough grounding in the Ethical Code, the Bill of Rights and other relevant legislation.

For more articles regarding counsellors, follow the following link: http://therapistsonline.co.za/article/registered-counsellor/

and to understand the role of a counsellor read:
http://therapistsonline.co.za/article/understanding-the-role-of-registered-counsellor-in-the-profession-of-psychology-in-south-africa/

If you feel that you can benefit by seeing a counsellor, please go look at my website: www.thementallyfit.co.za. You can also follow me on Facebook @thementallyfit.

I hope that you found this article interesting and informative.

Written by:

Somari Coetzee
Registered Counsellor