Day #6 of 8
Physiological
effects
of love and loss
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The Psychology of Love & Loss
The Physiological Effects of Love & Loss
Day #6 of 8
Adaptive Function of
the Autonomic Nervous System
(Hans Seyle)
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psychological Hardiness/Resilience
The Autonomic Nervous System
It is the interface between our
central nervous system and our
internal organs, glands, and
smooth muscle tissue.
It serves to monitor and regulate
our internal environment.
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The Autonomic Nervous System
Parasympathetic
Sympathetic
Branch
Branch
 Relaxed & Safe (old home)
 Adapted/Habituated
 Bladder Walls
contract
 Bladder Sphincter Muscle
is not contracted
 Conserve energy
(Sleep/Feed&Breed)
 Lacrimal gland secretes
 Possible Parasympathetic
Overshoot after intense
excitement
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•
•
•
•
•
•
Excited & On Alert (new)
Novelty Effect – Orienting
Bladder Walls
are not contracted
Bladder Sphincter Muscle
contracts
Burn energy
(Fight/Flight&Freeze)
Dry/burning eyes
The Autonomic Nervous System
Parasympathetic
Sympathetic
Branch
Branch
 Relaxed & Safe (old home)
•
•
 (…from Polyvagal Theory) •
The receptive Social
•
Engagement System
•
links face & heart responses.
Dampens the stress response
for enjoyable social
interaction.
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Excited & On Alert (new)
Fight/Flight/Freeze responses
Shut-down behaviors
Dissociative experiences
Fainting
HANS SELYE
• Hans Hugo Bruno Selye, was a pioneering Hungarian
endocrinologist. He conducted much important
scientific work on the hypothetical non-specific
response of an organism to stressors. Wikipedia
• Born: January 26, 1907, Vienna
• Died: October 16, 1982, Montreal
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Hans Selye’s
General Adaptation Syndrome
G.A.S.
“The body’s non-specific response to
stressful events.”
• Alarm
• Resistance
• Exhaustion
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Alarm
15
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Sympathetic Branch
(Fight or Flight)
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0
1
-5
-10
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3
4
5
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Parasympathetic
Branch
(Feed or Breed)
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Parasympathetic
Overshoot
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General Adaptation Syndrome
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Alarm
Resistance
15
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
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10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
-5
-10
-15
Exhaustion
General Adaptation Syndrome
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Alarm
Resistance
15
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
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7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
-5
-10
-15
Exhaustion
General Adaptation Syndrome
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Alarm
Resistance
15
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
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-5
-10
-15
Exhaustion
PSYCHOSOMATIC ILLNESS
 Illness affected by the interaction of
the mind (psyche) and the body (soma)
 Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is the
multidisciplinary study of the interaction
between psychological processes and the nervous
and immune systems of the human body.
 Instances include the following:
Respiratory, cardio-vascular, muscular, sleep,
gastro-intestinal, anxiety-related, nervoussystem, immune-system (viral & allergy), and
attention-related (slip-and-fall injuries).
Categories of Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (P.T.S.D.)
Intrusive
Avoidant
Hyperarousal
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CATEGORIES OF P.T.S.D.
Intrusive
Recurrent
intrusive
memories of the
trauma
Recurrent and
distressing
dreams of the
trauma
Avoidant
Hyperarousal
Avoiding
Difficulty falling
thoughts, feelings asleep or staying
or conversations
asleep
about the trauma
Avoiding
Difficulty
activities, places
concentrating
or people that
remind of the
trauma
CATEGORIES OF P.T.S.D.
Intrusive
Flashbacks of the
trauma
Intense
psychological
distress when
exposed to
reminders
Avoidant
Hyperarousal
Difficulty
Feeling alert or
remembering
watchful when
important aspects there is no need
of the trauma
to be
Loss of interest or Exaggerated and
pleasure in
frequent startle
normal activities
response
Feeling distant or
cut off from
others
CATEGORIES OF P.T.S.D.
Intrusive
Avoidant
Physical distress
when reminded
(heart racing,
shaking)
Difficulty
experiencing
normal feelings
such as love and
happiness
Feeling that the
future will be cut
short
Hyperarousal
THE TAROT CARD
DEATH CARD
• A symbolic
representation of change
• Two responses to the
reality of change
right-side up or up-side down
Represents the death of the
old self. Not only physical
death.
Transformation. Change.
Destruction followed by
transformation. A change in
consciousness.
Looking forward to
what will be. Renewal.
Change.
right-side up
Stagnation.
Inertia.
Stuck.
Change
A focus on what once was.
Looking back longingly.
Lamenting what was lost.
up-side down
I don’t want anything to change.
Start at (00:49)
DABDA-REVISITED
• DABDA
Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance
• Bargaining
Counterfactual Thinking
is a form of retro-active bargaining.
We create our reality based on how
we perceive the energy
in the universe.
Counterfactual Thinking:
our tendency to imagine alternatives to reality.
(a) We think about how things could have turned out
differently. “If only...”,
&
(b) We imagine, “What if...?”
These thoughts affect our emotions
and our overt behaviors.
After an accident…
COUNTERFACTUAL THINKING
our tendency to imagine alternatives to reality
Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky
pioneered the study of counterfactual
thought, showing that people tend to think
'if only' more often about exceptional
events than about normal events.
There are many
different possible futures
and only one life to live.
Commitment
to one of the possible
alternatives adds clarity
and reduces uncertainty.
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Counterfactual Thinking
• Upward comparisons
with better possible outcomes trigger
regret. Remorse after loss.
• The capacity to experience regret is uniquely
derived from counterfactual thinking.
• Downward comparisons
with worse possible outcomes trigger
relief. Gratitude after love.
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The Three C’s
Characteristics of
Psychological Hardiness/Resilience
• Control
• Challenge
• Commitment
CONTROL
Internal
Locus of Control
Empowered
Decision Maker
Danger Avoider
External
Locus of Control
Fated
Order Taker
Helpless
CHALLENGE
Optimistic
Pessimistic
Lemonade Maker Lemon Lamenter
Opportunity Focus
Loss Focus
See a Silver Lining See a Storm Cloud
Feels Fortunate
Feels Abused
The Car
&
The Home
COMMITMENT
Energy for the
Moral Center
This is for me!
This helps me!
I am energized!
Feels Fortunate
participating in
this relationship
Energy for the
Marginalized
This is for them!
This hurts me!
I am drained!
Feels Used & Abused
participating in
this relationship
The Three Blessings
Exercise
Directions
• At the end of each day, write down
three things that happened to you for
which you are grateful.
• Everyday, share your gratitude with
another person.
Elizabeth Taylor
talks about
Beauty
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Optimism
As we take everything
to heart, may we be
receptive and enjoy
all the fruits
of our lives.
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