"What You Don’t Know Makes You Nervous"--NY Times Op-Ed

[Dr. Richard Grossman]

PhoenixRising mentioned Daniel Gilbert's terrific book, Stumbling on Happiness in an earlier thread.  Here's an op-ed piece from today's NY Times by the same author:

http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/what-you-dont-know-makes-you-nervous/?th&emc=th

Best,

Richard

[lighter]

This is a great link, Dr. G.

Very interesting.

Mo2

[sKePTiKal]

Thanks! I enjoyed reading his take on uncertainty. I think I agree with him, too. I'm not sure!   

Lately, I've noticed how many people describe themselves as "worst-case scenario" people. But, they don't figure in probability into that scenario... nor reality. I know, for myself, that I can imagine far worse consequences in an uncertain situation than is likely to happen. I think, for me, there's some comfort in knowing how bad things can get if they spiral out of control. And I can remind myself, that - hey! - I survived the last time I experienced that.

But the liklihood of that happening isn't all that great. Things are never as bad as we fear or can imagine. The world doesn't end, as I've started to say. The sun will still come up tomorrow and the birds will still sing. And there will still be things to be grateful for - even in the worst situations. So why don't we use our imaginations to try to predict THOSE things? I really don't know the answer to that...

[Dr. Richard Grossman]

Hi Motherof2,

Thanks.  I plan on having a more visible presence on the board--which will include posting articles as they come along.  Glad you enjoyed this one.

Best,

Richard

[Dr. Richard Grossman]

Hi PhoenixRising,

My guess is that the human species survived not by celebrating what was good in life, but by being prepared for the next threat.  Unfortunately, such preparation releases cortisol (for fight or flight) which has, over the long run and in sufficient quantity, a deleterious effect on the brain.  In particular, cortisol appears to damage hippocampal cells.  Anti-depressants and exercise can reverse this damage by literally growing new hippocampal cells.

The result is that, sometimes, to remain healthy, we have to “talk back” to our genes just as you suggest….particularly in times of uncertainty.

Best,

Richard 

[Gaining Strength]

Well - someone e-mailed me this very article today.  I had skipped over it even though the NYTs is my homepage. 

The article is interesting to me but only half as interesting as the way it surfaced in my life.  When Gilbert's book Stumbling on Happiness came out, I read several reviews and decided that it was not for me and that I did not agree with his premise.  I cannot remember what about it I disagreed because today when I looked Gilbert up and read about his book again I saw that I my thoughts about the mind and happiness are very much in line with his work.

Thank you for posting the article Dr. Grossman.

Here is a link and two excerpts from an interview with Gilbert.  I really love the points he makes here:


http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3027&Itemid=247

A few hundred years ago, Sir Francis Bacon wrote quite articulately about how we find evidence to confirm our view. It’s a fundamental truth about the human mind. We have beliefs, ideas, and perceptions, and the brain gets to work very quickly trying to find evidence to substantiate them.

we’ve just done a study that shows that when people are offered the opportunity to do something selfish or something altruistic, they take the selfish option by and large. Culture has told them this is what they should do to be happy, but if you force them to take the altruistic option, they’re much happier. It’s a case of people not really knowing what will make them happy, not knowing what’s good for them. Altruism is a thing you might resist kicking and screaming—“I want to keep my money; I don’t want to give it away”—but if you give it away, it will probably make you happier than most of the things you could spend it on.

[Ami]

Dear Richard
 The Board seems much better now.I think your presence helps.     Ami

[Dr. Richard Grossman]

Thanks for the link, GS--I enjoyed the interview and the parts you highlighted.  One of Gilbert's points at the end of Stumbling on Happiness is that if we want to truly know what will make us happy, we should ask our elders who have achieved happiness.  Without doing this, we are bound to head in the wrong direction.

Best,

Richard

p.s.  I'm glad the Board seems better, Ami.

[Gaining Strength]

That makes me laugh.  I actually don't know an elder who is happy.  I know many who pretend ....

[sKePTiKal]

Ah... Dr. G....
I've got more to write about that survival instinct and how it can be a GOOD thing. It's good to know that the effect can be reversed... and how. Kind of confirms my intuition that mind-body work is one effective form of therapy, or at least a very beneficial supplement to it.

Now, to start a new topic about my "road trip"...