Cognitive Power

TRANQUIL TUESDAY-
"JUST THE FACTS..."

THIS TIME OF YEAR ALL OVER THE COUNTRY STUDENTS ARE APPROACHING THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THIS REMINDS ME OF THE CLASSIC DETECTIVE TV SHOW, DRAGNET, IN WHICH THE STONE-FACED DETECTIVE, NAMED FRIDAY, WOULD QUESTION A WITNESS AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME... AND WHEN THEY BECAME OVERLY EMOTIONAL, HE WOULD STOP THEM AND SAY:   "JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM, JUST THE FACTS."

FINAL EXAMS ARE COMING SOON ALONG WITH TERM PAPERS, FINAL PROJECTS,
AND ALL THE REST.

SOME STUDENTS SEEM TO TAKE THIS ALL IN STRIDE WHILE MANY STUDENTS FEEL THEIR STRESS LEVELS MOUNTING WITH EACH PASSING DAY.
STRESS LEVEL IS JUST ANOTHER TERM FOR ANXIETY -  THAT UNPLEASANT MIXTURE OF DREAD AND PHYSICAL SENSATIONS LIKE RAPID POUNDING HEARTBEATS, NAUSEA OR "BUTTERFLIES IN YOUR STOMACH", SUDDEN SWEATING WITHOUT EXERTION, ETC. 

THOSE SYMPTOMS, WHICH ARE PART OF A HUMAN SURVIVAL RESPONSE TO A THREAT OF DANGER, CAN ALL ARISE WHEN WE FACE DEADLINES, EXAMS, AND EVALUATIONS.

BUT WHAT'S THE DANGER?  WHAT'S THE THREAT? A PIECE OF PAPER OR A COMPUTER WITH SOME QUESTIONS ON IT? AN INSTRUCTOR WITH A LOOK OF DISAPPROVAL? A GROUP OF EXAMINERS, ALL WITH LOOKS OF DISAPPROVAL ON THEIR FACES? NO WILD ANIMALS. NO HORDES OF ENEMY WARRIORS.

SO WHY DO WE REACT AS IF OUR LIVES WERE IN DANGER?

COULD IT BE THAT WE WERE TAUGHT BY PARENTS OR SOCIETY THAT DISAPPROVAL FROM AUTHORITY FIGURES IS THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO US?

POSSIBLY.

BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ELIMINATE THE FEAR AND ALL OF THOSE UNCOMFORTABLE PHYSICAL SENSATIONS?

SUPPOSE WE ACTUALLY WROTE DOWN THE  THOUGHT " I FEEL LIKE I'M IN DANGER AND SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME."

THEN SUPPOSE WE LOOK AT THAT THOUGHT AND ASK OURSELVES:

" IS THAT THOUGHT BASED ON FACTS OR JUST A FEELING?"

IN ESSENCE; "AM I REALLY FACING SERIOUS INJURY OR THE LOSS OF MY LIFE OR THE LIVES OF THOSE I LOVE?"

IF YOU'RE FACING EXAMS OR PROJECT DEADLINES THE ANSWER IS "NO." SO THE TRUE SOURCE OF YOUR SUFFERING IS SOMETHING THAT COGNITIVE THERAPISTS CALL "EMOTIONAL REASONING", DEFINED AS MAKING JUDGMENTS OR DECISIONS BASED ON EMOTIONS WITHOUT FACTS.

IF YOU WANT TO BEGIN TO GET CONTROL OF YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM AND QUELL THAT FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO WRITE DOWN A HEALTHIER WAY TO LOOK AT YOUR SITUATION.

FOR EXAMPLE " THAT'S ONLY A FEELING, AND THE FACT IS THAT
                      I AM SAFE,
AND I JUST HAVE SOME READING, WRITING , AND REPETITION TO DO, SO I'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TIME AND LEARN AS MUCH AS I CAN FROM THIS CHALLENGE SO I CAN TURN IT INTO AN OPPORTUNITY." 

TRY WRITING OR TYPING THIS HEALTHIER THOUGHT MULTIPLE TIMES, CONCENTRATING ON THE MEANING OF EACH PHRASE UNTIL THE FACTS FEEL MORE NATURAL AND COMFORTABLE.   

JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM, JUST THE FACTS.

DALE J. ANDERSON, M.D.