Studying For Finals

With the semester coming to and end and finals approaching, stress seems to be weighing on everyone’s shoulders.  We choose to willingly put ourselves through the classes, the tests, and the papers. Most will reach a point when they will question their sanity. They will ask, why did I put myself through this? Inevitably, there comes a point in the middle of a cram session when hope seems lost. The task seems unbearable, and giving up becomes appealing. But in the Grey’s Anatomy episode, Desire, I learned to not give up in times of stress.

Different people manage and cope in different ways. Some students may plan weeks in advance, well prepared.  But the reality is most students, especially those who work best with deadlines, find themselves staying up all night studying the night right before the big test. They go through the next day exhausted, leaving many to wonder if it’s worth it; do the benefits of an all-night study session outweigh the sleepiness and fuzzy thinking that generally characterize the next day? Recent research says ‘no.’ Sleep is vital is maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health needed to succeed. This Grey’s Anatomy episode showed great examples of the different ways people handle stress and react under pressure. The day of the Board Examinations finally came from the interns. For weeks up to this point all they could think about the was the test. Eventually this kind of stress may big bring a great deal of damage to the body and mind, as some of the interns so conveniently displayed. Meredith became physically sick, April had a near mental breakdown, Karev was a near no-show, and Jackson’s mind was deeply submerged in his personal life. Like always, the only one who appeared to have it together was Christina.

Stress can often make people jumpy, excitable, or even irritable. The effects of stress may cause some people to drink or smoke heavily, neglect exercise or proper nutrition, or overuse either the television or the computer. Stress also realeases hormones that trigger the fight or flight response. These hormones help you to either fight harder or run faster. Other side effects also include increase blood pressure, sweating, and heartrate.

Helpful Ways to Cope With School Related Stress:

Source: http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/stressmanagement.html

 Stress Management Strategies

1.Learn how to say “NO!” – know your limits and do not compromise them. Taking on more than you can handle is not a good choice. It is ok if you don't do every single activity that your club, fraternity, sorority or your friends are doing.

2.Attitude – it is human nature to want to freak out. Your mind is a powerful tool; use it in your favor. Thinking rationally can take you a long way.

3.Laugh – Do something that you enjoy, take on a hobby, hang out with friends, and learn to balance your life. If you are feeling upset, express your feelings. Don't keep them to yourself because that will only add to your stress.

4.Avoid alcohol and cigarettes – this is just a quick fix. Once the chemical leave your body, you are back to feeling stressed and you are probably worse off than when you started.

5.Healthy eating – get the proper nutrition. Eat at least one hot-home cooked meal a day.

6.Exercise – physical activities can help you in not only burning off calories, but burning off stress. Exercise helps release tension. Exercise for 30 minutes a day for at least 3 times per week.

7.Relaxing your mind and body – take deep breaths. Visualize success. Set some “alone time” where you do something you enjoy. Practice “mindfulness”, focusing your attention on the present moment.

8.Sleep – at least 7 hours of sleep are needed in order for your brain and body to function at optimum level. Avoid taking naps for more than 1 hour.

9.Healthy relationships – talk and hang out with friends. Find some you relate to and with whom you can share your problems with.

10.         Time management – get a planner, create a schedule, or even a to-do list. Map out what your quarter will look like. Once you have done that, do a schedule for each week. Then create a schedule for each day. Be specific. Mark down your class meeting times, study time for a specific subject, mealtimes, fun activities, and sleep.

11.         Organization – learn how to organize your notes, keep track of your assignments and note important due dates or date of exams. Establish your priorities for the day.

12.         Budget – create a budget for your monthly expenses. Distribute your money according to the bills you need to pay for the quarter (i.e. rent, tuition, groceries, personal items, house bills, gasoline, etc.). Determine about how much money you will be able to spend “for fun.”

13.         Spirituality – spiritually is regarded as finding meaning in your life, the ability to connect with others.

14.         Determine your learning style – find out whether you are a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner.

15.         Slow Down – take a deep breath and know your limits. Take your time so that you can ensure a well done job.

16.         Find a support system – whether it's your mom, sister, brother, friend or counselor, find someone you feel comfortable sharing your feelings with. Sometimes all we need is to vent off the frustration.

17.         Make changes in your surroundings – if you find it difficult to study in your dorm try moving to a place where there is no loud music, and brighter lights.

18.         Delegate responsibilities – when school or work becomes overwhelming, dividing up the work or responsibilities helps alleviate pressure and stress.

"What's up with the need to hit the self-destruct button?" (1x07, Self-Destruct Button)

Freud theorized that people's brains unconsciously come up with ways to cope with certain situations.  Some of these ways include things that can be as simple as acting out, humor, and denial.  Projection (pushing one's own inappropriate or unwanted thoughts onto others), sublimation (turning inappropriate thoughts into acceptable actions), passive aggression (indirectly expressing one's anger), and fantasy (resorting to fantasy or false realities) are also all forms of defense mechanisms.

Karev has been accused of being insensitive and rude multiple times, when it really just seems to be his go-to defense mechanism whenever he goes through a traumatic experience or even just when his life gets more stressful.  Mark Sloan used to resorts to acting out, but usually more in a sexual way then an aggressive way.  He would constantly find new doctors, interns, or co-workers to bring home as his way to cope with his problems.  Meredith has had many different defense mechanisms, but she has commonly resorted to passive aggression, especially toward her best friend, Christina Yang.

Altruism is a high concern for other's well being, or focusing on the problems of others.  In a sense, all of the doctors at Seattle Grace use this defense mechanism in addition to their own personal ways of coping.  Whenever their lives get stressful or overwhelming, they tend to delve deeper into their work and focus more than usual on their patients.  Sometimes they even become emotionally unstable when their patients don't make it, or when they can't seem to solve their problems or figure out what the diagnosis should be.

"When you know who you are, it's easier to know what you're about, what you really need." (9x04, I Saw Her Standing There)

Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a hierarchy of basic needs, in which each lever must be accmplished before progressing on to acheiving the next level.

At the bottom lies the most basic needs, including food, water, and shelter.  Then comes things like security and stability to keep the person feeling safe.  The middle of the hierarchy deals with love relationships including friends and family.  Next is Self-Esteem, which involves achievement and respect.  And finally, Self Actualization is the completion of the hierarchy, which means that the person has reached their full potential.





All of the surgeons at Seattle Grace have made it at least past the second level, but only a lucky few appear to have made it all the way to the top.  An example of someone who has achieved self actualization would now be Meredith Grey.  Meredith has come to terms with her family, even with all the issues that came about; she has found someone she loves who loves her in return, mand they have created a wonderful life together for them and their beautiful daughter, Zola; and she is also now accomplished at work as she is now a very well known attending.

An example of someone who has not yet reached Self-Actualization is April Kepner.  April failed her boards and was fired from Seattle Grace, before being re-hired after the plane crash.  She has also not been able to get her love life with Jackson Avery under control, even struggling to keep it separate from their workplace.  Once April figures out her romantic relationship with Avery and is able to pass her boards and Join the others as attending, she will be much closer to being able to reach the top level of Self-Actualization.

I Read A Book

Group Therapy

Group therapy is a form of counseling in which a small number of people come together under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist to help themselves and one another. For over 50 years it is a counseling approach used to promote growth and change.  In group therapy people receive understanding, support, and encouragement, along with perspectives, ideas, and view points. It is “intended to help people who would like to gain support, increase self-awareness, and learn new ways to cope with personal or interpersonal challenges”.  The benefits of group therapy include feedback from multiple people, modeling, and imporved social skills. It is also less expensive. Role playing and engaging are major aspects of group therapy. Groups should be small; a number less than 12 is most effective.

The Mind of A Mass Murderer

The sad truth is that serial killing and mass murdering very much surrounds our lives. But what might I ask causes it? And what exactly is the difference between a mass murderer and serial killers?

In the group therapy episode of greys anatomy I learned that a serial killer has to kill multiple people over a period of over 30 days whereas a mass murder must kill 3 or more people in one place and time period. “Serial killers, forensic psychiatrists say, derive sexual gratification from their killings. The Ted Bundys, the Jeffrey Dahmers, the John Wayne Gacys -- they don't want to be caught. They often enjoy taunting police. The violence is, in its own perverse way, about pleasure”. Mass murderers on the other hand are prepared to be caught or commit suicide. They are often angry, depressed, hurt, and humiliated. Mass murderers “tend to be rejected in some romantic relationship, or are sexually incompetent, are paranoid, and their resentment builds. They develop shooting fantasies for months or years, stockpiling dreams and ammunition”. The event that finally sets them off, Welner says, “is usually anticlimactic -- an argument, a small personal loss that magnifies a sense of catastrophic failure”. The psychology behind the mind of a mass murderer is somewhat unknown. "In mass shootings, the killer is often killed themselves, so we don't really have the ability to interview and analyze them -- all you can really do is work off their behavior," says Neil S. Kaye, an assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. What we do know research tells us that about 95 percent of mass killers are men, they tend to be loners, and they feel alienated. They look normal on the outside and are really, really angry inside.

Bottled Up Emotions

Whether we like to admit it or not, emotions dictate day-to-day decisions. They hold a firm grasp on controlling daily lives. Many actions, words, and decisions are based off of emotions. From the first episode, Christina is presented as a hard, emotionless person. Her mind is so focused on being a doctor that it often appears she doesn’t feel, much less express those feelings. But we soon find out, that even the hardest people have walls that can be broken. Christina surprises everyone by succumbing to love and eventually a pregnancy. Throughout her pregnancy she was numb at the idea of having a child. She was ready to abort, scared by the unknown of a changing life. But nature intervened and provided a sad life lesson. Christina unwillingly lost her baby. And try as she might, she could no longer hold her emotions in. Humans are social creatures full of feelings and worries. If kept locked up, they will explode. Bottling up emotions sometimes may serve a purpose. It may be used as a coping mechanism or a defense mechanism. People, like Christina, believe emotions are a sign of weakness and want to give others the impression they are strong. Often we create how we should feel or act in our minds. So when emotions do not match up to the image the mind created, one becomes confused. Hence, people act and succumb to fakery to ease themselves. 

The term OCD, or Obsessive Compulsion Disorder is an overly inaccurate term used to mislabel organized and cleanly people.  But what people do not realize is that OCD goes much farther beyond basic orderliness. The term is often thrown around, but rarely is it used in the correct context. “Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions)” (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). A true human that suffers from OCD has uncontrollable actions. Like in the Grey’s Anatomy episode they may have to repeat words in increments of three, twitch their fingers, or live in constant fear of the germs on their sheets.  People who suffer from OCD have a hard time finding a job, maintaining friendships, and functioning in everyday life. Obsession Compulsion Order, “traps people in endless cycles of repetitive thoughts and behaviors. People with OCD are plagued by recurring and distressing thoughts, fears, or images (obsessions) they cannot control” (WebMD). The compulsions are performed in an attempt to distract from the obsessive thoughts.