Terminology 5 Concepts

1. Stress and Coping with Stress.

               -Stress is an individual’s response to an intense and worrisome event. My levels of stress increase when I have multiple exams that land on the same week. I have also began stressing even more when I realized my application deadline is coming closer. This feeling of intense anxiety is a chemical reaction towards a challenging situation. The best solution is to take on one thing at a time in trying to cope with the stress. If my stress levels become overwhelmed, it will become difficult for me to maintain my emotional control.

2. Explanations of dreams.

               -Dreams and the unconscious mind. Almost every living thing needs sleep, including ourselves. Because sleeping has become such a daily routine, we tend to not put too much thought into why we sleep. After I began keeping track of a two week sleeping diary, I began to wonder the importance of how much time I put into sleep and what effects it has on me during my conscious day. If I do not get at least a certain amount of hours of sleep, I will feel tired and dull throughout my day. However, if I get too much sleep, I would sometimes feel lazy and groggy all day. Therefore, even though it’s quite obvious, it is important to get the right amount of hours. Not everyone is the same; there may be some people who might need more or less resting hours. I also began analyzing why I dream certain events during my unconscious sleep. This topic has taught me that sleep is needed to improve and restore the wear-and-tear of our daily activities. During this time, it is possible that our unconscious mind is actively working to process the details that occurred during that day.

3. Intelligence.

               -Intelligence is the ability to accumulate information and implement learned skills effectively in any circumstances. I view intelligence as my cognitive ability to analyze certain situations through experiences and observation. Although intelligence may be categorized by psychologists as fluid, crystallized, and the theory of multiple intelligences, they still all intertwine to process a way of thinking and reasoning. To me, my concept of intelligence is not limited and is subject to change or modification, but is constantly expanding. 

4. Motivation.

               -Motivation is the inner ambition towards a certain goal that sparks ones interests. I am constantly trying to motivate myself towards my goals, whether it is school or a professional career. People who you are surrounded by may also have an impact on your sense of motivation. Acting as my support system, my parents and my older sister are regularly motivating me to seek success. This behavior is a humanistic way to socially interact with others, while concentrating on my personal wants/needs and how it can benefit me.

5. Drug Use.

               -When individuals turn to drug and alcohol use, they are usually trying to find a way to cope with either anxiety or depression. There are other reasons for different situations, such as for social interactions at social events. After learning certain concepts of the highs and lows of consciousness and relating it to my personal experiences, I feel that the more available to drug/alcohol is more available, the more it is likely to be used and possibly abused. By using psychoactive or addictive drugs, the chemicals that are present in these drugs create a stimulation of arousal, which makes usage for frequent. With depressants such as addictive alcohol usage, the person is seeking for a sense of euphoria that would eventually lead them to a state of unconsciousness. Experiencing first-hand with both stimulants, I believe that drug use is another route that people take to remove themselves from the real world for just that moment, to feel something different from the average stressful daily routines.