Coping: Interpretation Josh Ellis

Another Riveting Installment of: Put Your Phone Away

If this post applies to you, you probably don’t want to hear it yet again, but this is an entire post about this habit of yours, your… cell phone use. Specifically, I want to talk about how I think that the moment someone takes out their phone to browse social media and/or zesty memes is when they’ve begun divesting interest from whatever was previously engaging them. Now you might be tempted to invalidate this by saying how arbitrary of an observation it is to make, which isn’t entirely incorrect, but there’s so much more going on when one purposefully diverts their focus from whatever important activities they’re engaged in to take their phone out of their pocket and check their mail (this also goes out to those of you who check mail on your laptop in class, you “I’m too productive to listen and take notes” doofuses).

What I'm talking about, is how going to work, lecture, doing homework and chores require one to get out of their regular daily routine, to turn their mental efforts onto models and knowledge used almost exclusively for these tasks. Seeing as how these tasks draw one away from your preferred environments, pulling out ones phone re-establishes ones link with wherever they last left off. Switching back and forth from these two sets of mental models is extremely taxing, and when one has the potential to be addicting across a variety of personality types, I feel that it would be imperative to maintain a habit of checking phones only when leaving an environment meant for learning.

By creating a dichotomy of thought between a private world and current life, we drastically inhibit ourselves reduce the amount of uncertainty in our information processing. Outside of the incredibly capable, this leads us to the false mindset that this allows us to interpret our current situation more methodically, when approaching it from a familiar place (looking at things we're responsible for, alongside our facebook feeds or what have you). Furthermore, we always will have our phones on us, no matter what new content we'll face during the day, so no matter what new stranger's we'll see, we'll be able to not exist in their world as long as we have these wonderful little machines.

Coping - Interpretation

     Coping is a response that college students are all too familiar with due to the large amounts of stress that they are under at any given time. This response is natural and innate, and was advantageous to our ancient ancestors as it allowed them to persevere in times of great stress, rather than simply falling apart and risking danger. However, being mindful of behavior and tweaking coping mechanisms can lead to the behavior having a more profound and successful effect, allowing for greater mental clarity and the ability to overcome the stressor(s) with ease. One such manner is through interpretation. 

      Interpretation is beneficial in unpredictable, uncontrollable, or highly stressful environments when our brain struggles to make sense of the situation. Often, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of information as our brain rapidly attempts to form a plan, but this can be subverted through a change of interpretation. Adopting an interpretive strategy aids in decision-making and understanding and facilitates the creation of an action plan. These strategies also differ from person to person due to the fact that each individual has a lifetime of experience. Due to this experience, there is a different "most-beneficial" interpretation for everyone, but interpretations can be easily shared and adopted among two or more people. 

     A time I used an interpretive strategy was when I was younger, and used to have terrible stage fright. Unfortunately for me, my parents decided the way for me to face this fear was to sign me up for a theater camp in which we would eventually put on the show Peter Pan. Since my name was Peter, I was given the lead. I was terrified. I came home from camp more nervous every day, constantly looking ahead with dread to the eventual performance, imagining all the possible things that could go catastrophically wrong. I felt that my embarrassment was inevitable. However, my parents noticed my nervousness and decided to intervene. They told me that instead of thinking that I was performing in front of the audience, I should pretend we were simply rehearsing. This way, I would go into the performance much calmer and would see any mistake that I made as just a part of practice. At first I doubted that anything could alleviate my nerves, but as I began to use this strategy I noticed with surprise that it was actually working. The stage lights were too blinding for me to see the crowd, so it was easy to imagine they were not there. From there, it was a simple change of mindset to believe that this was not a performance at all, and the only people around were those on the stage with me. In this way, I learned the power of interpretation, and continue to use it to aid when situations seem too daunting to face as they are. 

Coping Interpretation: Graduation Edition

Coping is something that we do often as humans when we are put in situations that we cannot control or aren't comfortable in. Sometimes in the situation, its all about how we interpret things. I have found this very useful in the realm of graduation. This is my last year here at this wonderful university and I've been trying to enjoy myself all while impending adulthood has been looming over my shoulder. At first, I was terrified. I have been in school since I was in Pre-K and the thought of not having to take a class, write an essay, take an exam, fill out a FAFSA, etc. was refreshing yet scary. I don't know how to be an adult. I don't know how to pay bills, file taxes, budget, or any of the things that adults are supposed to be able to do. Needless to say, I was panicking. But something in me was forcing me to find some solutions, some clarity to ease my troubled brain. And what I discovered was the power of reinterpretation. Once, I decided to change how I viewed my situation, I realized that impending adulthood wasn't so scary at all. One interpretive strategy that I have used and found very helpful is discussing my situations with others who have been in my position. They helped me to understand that graduating was not as scary as one might think, its actually very liberating. Others have helped me to see that after graduation I am free to do what it is that i want. I can travel, go to grad school, get a job, etc. The possibilities are endless. I also had to realize that there are just some things that you simply cannot control, and thats very helpful in and of its self. Interpretive strategies have been very helpful for me and hopefully they can help others as well.

COPING TERRITORY

In our everyday lives we continually encounter stressors, obstacles, worries, conflicts, and have responsibilities and commitments. As a result, we must develop coping mechanisms to get through the stressful times. Coping itself is not a direct mechanism in which one can consciously decide to begin “coping” during stressful times. Coping is an intervention and manipulation of our environment that allows us to function more effectively during our most stressful or attention draining moments, even if it is only for a short period of time.

Although there are various forms of coping this blog post will focus on coping via the manipulation of one’s territory. To find a coping territory implies finding or changing our physical setting so that we can better control and process information. This territory should be restorative, meaning it should allow our directed attention to rest. Similarly it should not require much vigilance, and should be very familiar so that it is not too stimulating due to its strong level of understandability.

Prior to this exposure to this topic, I personally had not noticed the importance of territory when it comes to coping with stress. For example, the other day I found myself very stressed because I had a genetics exam, a paper due, and a presentation the very next day. After breakfast, I first situate myself at a coffee shop on main street with a few friends, somewhere I don’t normally study. After about an hour, I had barely even gone through 10% of the information on my genetics exam, and I realize now that may have been a cause of the low level of familiarity I had with that environment. The fact that I did not know that coffee shop well resulted in my being vigilant in this physical setting for I lacked the cognitive maps that would allow me to be able to easily predict about changes in this environment. Later on that same day I moved to the Institute for Social Research building, somewhere I study all the time. After getting all set up I zoned into my work that I didn’t even look up from my notes for hours. Being in a coping territory that did not require me to be vigilant restored my directed attention allowed me to be more effective studying.

The takeaway from this post should be that coping is an intervention in our environment that allows us to restore our directed attention allowing for better functioning during stressful times. This intervention is not always one of territory (or physical environment), as was exemplified above, however territory is one of the most important aspects to manipulate when coping.

Coping with the Fear of Unknowing

THE REVOLVING DOOR
Being that this is my last semester at the University of Michigan as an undergraduate, many feel that I have reached a major milestone in my life and that I should be proud of the journey into "adulthood" that I am soon to embody; this is the scary part. As the days come closer to walking across that stage and deciding what to do afterwards has become more and more frightening. My heart pulls me into many different directions as it longs for satisfaction, passion, love and fulfillment; the struggle of today's emerging adults.


COPING AT ITS FINEST
Though living the life of a college student often brings a lot of stressful situations like studying for exams, time management, finances, future career path or even deciding what you are going to wear the next day, I would not have it any other way. I quickly learned that sometimes we find ourselves in undesired and stressful environments that seem never ending, but our ability and willingness to cope with them allows optimism to flourish even when it is not hitting you over the head. I also made a huge move from a really small town in Arkansas to a relatively huge community in Michigan to pursue my education at the University of Michigan. I was willing to leave my friends I had made over several years, my teachers who played a huge part in my educational career, and ultimately many of my family members who I looked up to; my support system. Coming from a small town in Arkansas, I was certainly use to a level of privacy even outside of the home which provided an environment of non judgment, peace and allowed for constant self reflection when needed. It even aided me in the sense that I became more socially aware of my surrounding and that I knew I wanted more than what that small town could offer me; I found it in Michigan.

I would say coming to a public university in a state of unfamiliar places and people made me more nervous about my overall success at the university. I feared that I would be all alone and would lose my social life that I once had. It was not until I was introduced to the dorm life that really struggled with controlling my emotional state because I did not want it to be a bad experience nor did I want to pile stress of living situations on top of the stresses of my transition into the college life and moving from another whole state to be in Michigan. I moved into West Quad my freshman year and actually most a lot of cool supportive individuals who were also from out of state and found the transition a little rough; I was not allow. I share the image below because that was a place that I other went to when the class schedules and curriculum would get the get the best of me at times. I would either go with a close friend or simply go by myself and lay in the grass and look up at the sky or even listen or feel for the cool breeze. That was my home away from home. I actually spent more in that area than even in my dorm room to be honest because it was not a loud area and I never had a problem clearing my head when I needed it the most. It provided a semi public but also a semi private element which really allowed me to open up more about the importance of setting aside some personal time and that life has no choice back to wait for you; you gain a sense of responsibility of ones well being throughout these many life transitions.



Even though I am still not fully sure about what life has in store for me and I get unnecessary stress behind it (internal source), I have been a allowed and even discovered many ways in dealing with certain unpleasant situations like balancing both my focus between things needed to be done to finish school on a positive note and things that serve as distractions which hinder you from achieving that academic success. The fact that I open myself to new opportunities that can be restorative to the mind and body are through the realization (recognition) that there is a problem to begin with which is hard for most to realize because they are so use to living life in a systematic way; the American way. I would say encountering these seemingly chronic stressors throughout my undergraduate career have done more good than bad because I am now equipped with many intervention practices to counter the diminishing effects of stress and enhances my predictability for the real and perceived stress; I am ready for this journey of the unknowing.

Coping During Finals Season: Territory

As the semester comes to an end many of us may have started feeling the stress of exams, final projects, and final papers. I felt stressed even writing that sentence. Juggling final assignments is definitely not an easy task especially taking into considering that all assignments are going to be due around the same time. In my opinion, finals season is one of the greatest tests to the human ability to withstand a stressful, attention depleting, non-prefered environment. Without proper cognitive care, we risk the inability to pass this test.

Luckily, there are many things we can do to help us be mentally successful during finals season. Coping interventions such as restorative settings, supportive settings, wise management, mindfulness, territory, community, and interpretation help us function better in non-preferred environments like that of finals season. Many of these coping interventions we have studied before and are already familiar with.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner I thought it’d be appropriate to discuss the coping intervention of territory. The method of territory coping is associated with the manipulation of our physical environments. Since many of us are going home, or staying with family or friends over Thanksgiving break, this could be thought of as a manipulation of our physical environments. We are going from the high-speed, academic world of campus to a low-speed, family oriented world.

For optimal coping within our physical environment, we require a few basic features. Firstly, the environment needs to be a place where we don’t feel the need to be vigilant. The homes of our family and friends are safe and trustworthy, so we don’t ever need to be on constant lookout. Secondly, the environment must be a place of refuge where we can restore and being away from the tasks and stresses of campus life is key. Thirdly, spending Thanksgiving with our family and friends is a familiar setting for most of us. We can easily predict the schedule of the day and who we plan to encounter. This saves on directed attention that can be used elsewhere, such as on our final exams and projects. Lastly, the environment needs to be one in which we can function effectively in the short term. Since break is a set number of days and being spent in a restorative environment, it shouldn’t be hard to function well short term.

This is just one example of how our breaks could be used to help cope with the stresses of finals. Whether or not you are spending it with friends and family, I hope we all use this time to rest our minds. What coping methods other than territory could be used during Thanksgiving break?

How to Cope With The Election

People couldn't believe their eyes when last Tuesday they saw the election. Many had this reaction:

but more had a reaction more paralleled to extreme disappointment and disgust. Many people all over the country are in absolute SHOCK about the results of the election that happened just last week. Many people are distraught at the fact that Donald Trump is the president elect and protests have been breaking out in major cities and across campuses nation wide. People are struggling to cope with the election results and this is only dividing the nation further than it was previously divide pre-election. Everybody just needs to relax, find ways to cope with the result, and move on.



Ways To Cope

Coping mechanisms like restorative settings, mindfulness, and community allow for the mind to deal with situations that aren't exactly what we'd been hoping for or are non-prefered and stressful. Let's go down the list and see what how the three methods already mentioned can help us move past this election.

Restorative Settings 

Restorative settings allow for directed attention to replenish. Now this may not seem like something that may necessarily help us cope with the election, but when you think about it, directed attention helps dictate our interaction with others and how we behave. I don't know about you, but when I'm annoyed or frustrated, I hate talking to other people or even being around other people. This election has drained peoples directed attention to the point where they are struggling to appear decent because they are so distraught by the results. My suggestion to go grab the directed attention back: go for a walk in nature. That's really all it takes. Just go outside, get some fresh air, and think inwardly while you're doing it for added effect! Heading to a restorative setting also can help with the next self-help method of dealing with this election; mindfulness.

Mindfulness

Being mindful isn't about thinking so much that your mind is crammed like the person shown in this comic, its more like the dog. Think about and stay in the present as best as possible. This allows for you to just reflect on what may be really important to you, rather than be in despair about the soon to be president. Being able to remain mindful about your current situation rather than be worried about when Trump becomes president will help you out when Trump officially takes office. Why worry about something that isn't in your control? That's what being mindful is all about!

Community

Community is a great way to cope with any situation as it brings together people from all ages and races to meet and converse about topics. What I suggest for a community is to expand beyond people that you would normally not be in community with. Find a common ground with a group of people to connect with, and allow them to challenge you about your beliefs on other topics. This will give you an opportunity to broaden your horizons and think about new ideas that hadn't crossed your mind yet. Community is made stronger through conversation and well done debate. Being open to these debates and discussions allows for people to see your point of view and for them to see yours.

The main take away from this entire situation is really for everyone to R-E-L-A-X. Take some time to reflect upon what you find most important, go out to a restorative environment, and meet up with a community you can feel accepted and welcomed in. This election will soon blow over like it always does, and life will go back to normal in the United States.

Stress and the Election

It’s been a stressful time recently – exams, papers, flu/cold season, you name it.  And to top it all off, an election that has been interesting and eventful, to say the least.  Don’t get me wrong, all elections (especially presidential) are stressful, but this one in particular seemed to be stress-inducing for most people.  In class, we discussed some surveys conducted by the APA regarding stress among Americans; in mid-October, they came out with a study showing that 52% of adults reported that the presidential election was a very or somewhat significant source of stress, and this result was spread across the board (male and female, Republican and Democrat, etc.) (1).   So how does this election stress actually work, and how is it affecting us?

There are two types of stress: acute and chronic -  I would argue that this election involved both.  The whole process was easily a source of chronic stress, as it was a prolonged event that lasted for months and continued to be stressful for many people.  Surveys and polling found that there were similar amounts of stress regarding the different candidates in January than there were in September, suggesting that this was a prolonged source of stress for Americans (2, 3).  There were also acute stress situations involved, as well – for example, the last few hours of the election, the election night as a whole, or even the debates that took place during the election cycle.  There was stress caused by external factors; for example, social environments that people may have been in during the stress-inducing hours of election night.  There was also lots of stress caused by internal factors and our own thoughts, like our cognitive processes that may have involved worrying and thinking about the implications of the coming presidency.

And the outcomes for many was the triggering of their “stress response,” as it had implications for both mental and physical health.  In class, we discussed the physiological responses associated with both acute and chronic stressors.  Acute responses include increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased muscle tension, and others.  Considering election night as an acute stressor for many, I can tell you from my own experience that these physiological effects were probably fairly common among Americans watching the results dramatically pour in.  Chronic stress reactions include increased fluid retention, increased fat storage, as well as decreased alertness and emotional responsiveness.  While these effects may be less prominent widely in the population, it would not be surprising that people very close to the campaigns experienced responses of this caliber.   

Along with these physiological effects, there are effects on Americans’ cognitive systems, as well; there has even been emergence of the concept of “Election Stress Disorder” (2).  There has been a lot of discussion regarding the more psychological effects of the election cycle.  An APA survey in September found that about 25% of people felt less productive and more stressed out at their jobs because of the political discussions taking place in the workplace (4, 2).  Election Stress Disorder is also associated with increased irritability and frustration, resentment, and hostility towards others like family members and coworkers (2).  A therapist talking about the topic said that he often sees couples taking this stress out on each other, causing issues in their relationships (2).  A lot of these behaviors are similar to what we learned about outcomes of directed attention fatigue.  And as we know, a result of stress is attentional fatigue.  So some of these behaviors may be outcomes of that attentional fatigue (as a result of the stress), rather than of the stress itself.  It wouldn’t be one bit surprising if people’s attention was fatigued throughout this election cycle, as it at times seemed to take over every part of our lives.

In addition to attentional fatigue, stress often leads to outcomes of unhealthy behaviors.  One therapist discussing Election Stress Disorder said that it can cause people to be drawn to drink more, or drive faster and with more aggression (2).  While this all applies to the election process before the president-elect was announced, I find it important that we are cognizant of the fact that these responses to our heightened stress are relevant post-election, as well, and we should take measures to reduce and cope with election-related stress as we move forward.

Sources:

1. American Psychological Association. 13 October 2016. "APA Survey Reveals 2016 Presidential Election Source Of Significant Stress For More Than Half Of Americans." http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2016/10/presidential-election-stress.aspx.

2. Itkowitz, Colby. 26 September 2016. "Feeling anxious ahead of the debate? Here's how to cope with 'Election Stress Disorder.'" Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/09/26/feeling-anxious-ahead-of-the-debate-heres-how-to-cope-with-election-stress-disorder/.

3. Clement, Scott. 28 January 2016. "69 percent say 'President Trump' makes them anxious." Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/28/69-percent-say-president-trump-makes-them-anxious/?tid=a_inl.

4. American Psychological Association. 14 September 2016. "1 in 4 Employees Negatively Affected By Political Talk At Work This Election Season, Finds New Survey." http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2016/09/employees-political-talk.aspx.

The Stress of Transferring to a New University

Stress is something that everyone experiences each day. Acute and chronic stressors from external and internal sources can cause a physiological reaction, or Stress Response. This response can affect one’s physical & mental wellness. As a transfer student this stress response is extended for a longer period of time than students who stay at the same university for four years because of the stress of transferring schools, as well as the lack of developed cognitive models.

Disorder in the environment/relationships:

Disorder in the environment and in relationships can increase stress. Going from one large university to another, I have been in a disordered environment for the past 3 years. Large universities are typically crowded and full of busy and stressed people. Additionally, when you transfer schools all of the relationships you have made at your previous school are either lost or weakened. This causes more stress because you don’t have any friends at your new school and are losing friends from your old one.

Dominant Groups:

Transferring as a sophomore makes it so you will never be the dominant group on campus. This is because the dominant group are very familiar with campus and have well developed cognitive maps. Just as you are becoming a dominant group on campus, you switch schools and then have to build completely new cognitive maps. Because of these cognitive maps, dominate groups are less stressed and less likely to become sick. This has resulted in me getting multiple colds each year for every year I have been in college.

Illness:

Adding to the fact that transferring colleges causes you to not be in the dominant group and increases your chances of getting sick, the stresses of transferring also causes you to be more susceptible to illness. Transferring schools is stressful because once you thought you were done applying to colleges and now you’re completing all of those applications again while dealing with your college classes. It is also stressful because you are uprooting your entire life again and moving to a new place again. These stressors directly weaken the body’s immune system, increasing the likelihood of becoming sick.

Buffers:

Transferring colleges may be stressful, but it’s not all bad! Biological, social, and

informational buffers allow one to better deal with chronic and acute stressors. Transferring to a university with people that are more like-minded to yourself helps you create better and more supportive friendships. Social buffers can also come from friendships with people who have also just transferred universities. Informational buffers are also available. Before officially moving to the University of Michigan I came and visited campus and Ann Arbor to begin making my mental maps. Additionally, there are informational programs to help transfer students adjust. Biological buffers allow for stress reduction as well. Before transferring school I was in a bad environment created by the university and the people in it and this was causing me to be depressed. Because depression does not run in my family, I was able to function enough to do well in classes to be able to transfer and help myself get better. Transferring universities took me from a bad environment and brought me to an environment that caused me less stress and allowed me to thrive.