Strong emotions short-circuit logic
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/emotions-and-logic/MY02215
- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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Aug. 29, 2012
Strong emotions short-circuit logic
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
You're angry, frustrated and tired. You're running late. As you rush out the door, you realize you're forgotten your keys.
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If the stress in your life is more than you can cope with, get help right away.
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Often in a fit of anger or frustration, we say things that are hurtful. In a moment of lashing out, we fire off an email or a Tweet that we wish we could retrieve.
Everyone can relate to these scenarios. So what's going on here?
There's now overwhelming evidence that during times of strong and powerful emotions, our brain becomes flooded with chemicals, such as adrenaline and norepinephrine, that short-circuit and interfere with the parts of the brain affecting judgment, reasoning and logic. Specific parts of the brain actually become smaller and less biochemically active.
Hence the wisdom of the advice to count to 10 — or better yet to 1,000 — or to sleep on it. When the heat of the moment has passed and you're calmer, you can think more clearly. Taking time to chill out can prevent remorse and embarrassment over regrettable behavior or poor decisions made under stress.
Follow me on Twitter at @EdwardCreagan. Join the discussion at #Stress.
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