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Our Brain's Reaction in These Troubled Times

  • Writer: Patricia Faust
    Patricia Faust
  • Jan 27, 2019
  • 2 min read

Global news has been quite grim lately. It is not unusual to hear of new terrorist attacks, mass shootings and other horrific events. How does our brain assimilate this information and allow us to move forward?


Well, this phenomenon has been researched. Result: Our brain has the capacity to assimilate negative information. We have to fight our first reaction of trying to avoid this bad news. If you choose to fight thinking about these events, you will suffer some serious consequences:

· Negativity settles in your stomach, chest and shoulders

· It clutters your thoughts and distracts you from working on the task at hand

· And, you will experience chronic stress and all the physical ailments that accompany it (tense muscles, digestive problems, lethargy)

· Negative stress will exhaust you


The fact is – your brain is able to handle all of this negativity. Researchers found that through repetition, negative words begin to lose their power over a person’s mind, reducing effects on mood and cognition.


There is a proper way to process bad news. Instead of reading a headline and getting upset, keep on reading the entire article so that you repeatedly expose yourself to the negative information. This process allows your brain to digest and understand the information so that it can move on to other concerns in your life.

A center of balance must be achieved here. Your brain can be affected with overexposure to bad news, but underexposure is also damaging. Unfortunately, these negative incidents are a part of out new-normal life. We need to learn how to process this information so that we can move forward with our day.


Reference:

Bundrant,M. (December 12, 2013). Simple trick unleashes your brain’s capacity to handle negativity and bad news (based on research). Retrieved December 3, 2015 from http://www.naturalnews.com/z043215_negativity_bad_news_brain_function.html

 
 
 

Comments

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March was an unusual month for me.  Normally I work on articles, give presentations and generally just stay tuned to what is going on in the field of aging.  This month I “learned” a lot.  Last year I learned how to write a book.  At the time I took the course I thought it would just be a natural extension of all the writing I had done over the years.  WRONG!!  The actual writing of the book was the easy part.  Putting it together into a book was difficult for me.  The course gave me step by step lessons on constructing a book.  Then editing and formatting were just as challenging.  On June 7 last year the book was published!  It was one of the most satisfying days of my writing career. 

Naturally, when you self-publish, you do not have a publisher promoting the book and getting it in the right categories for best sales on Amazon.  That was crushing because I really didn’t know to appropriately market it.  I am a brain health person!  In December of last year, I purchased a marketing program that is based on statistics.  I am technical minded and so this approach made sense to me.  The course is almost completed.  Can’t wait to see if it improves sales!

The next step I am looking at is recording an audiobook.  This is another venture I knew nothing about.  But I am already tagged on Facebook for marketing of audio book programs.  Facebook picks up everything.  Now my husband was creative director for an advertising agency and when I told him I purchased another class – he couldn’t believe it.  “This was my business.  I know how to do recordings, why didn’t you ask me?” Well, I knew he was an expert in that business, but this audiobook needs to meet all the criteria that Amazon requires for publication.  So, he can take care of the recording part of this audiobook, and I will navigate the process of meeting Amazon’s requirements.  We worked on the book together like this. 

Then I talked with some coaching experts on the viability of starting group teaching programs.  Reading The Boomer Brain book and implementing the Brain Healthy Lifestyle have two entirely different outcomes.  This lifestyle is important to maintaining high cognitive function throughout the later years of our lives.  Look for updates as to when I will roll this program out.

My last learning endeavor was attending a two-day bootcamp for Speakers.  I am really excited about what I learned there.  That is a late this year or next year project, but it is one I am really looking forward to.

 

What Is Happening in April?

The American Society on Aging is having their annual conference in Orlando Florida April 21-24.  This is the largest multidisciplinary conference on aging and the annual conference for Members of ASA.  I have attended a number of these conferences throughout the years, and it is consequential.  Keynote speakers and special events are focused on combating ageism in our society.  Although this is a professional meeting, the attendees come from all aspects of aging services.  They have their work cut out for them this year!

April is Stress Awareness Month.  We should be aware of stress every month and understand how we can break the stress cycle.  These are stressful times, and we need to protect ourselves

Here is a positive one “April is National Volunteer Month”.  When I am working with new retirees who don’t know what to do, I talk to them about volunteering. It is important to have a purpose after you leave the workforce.  There are so many nonprofits who need help in all aspects of their organizations.  It is a perfect way to give back.

Finally – It was Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds – the oldest major league team in the nation.  Cincinnati takes that responsibility seriously.  There is always an Opening Day Parade through downtown to the Ball Park.  Huge crowds line the streets and every year there is talk of making it an official holiday.  Schools and employers look the other way when there is an empty desk.  No matter what the outcome of the game is, there is so much joy, and you can feel that energy.  I am fortunate that I get to experience that.  We all need some joy right now. 

Enjoy your April.

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