Under the influence?
I was just going to make a comment on the last post in response but I have too much to say, so I'll write here instead (but my brain's really stuck for words lately so if I sound a little disjointed you'll have to forgive me).You bring up a really interesting point, the idea of human choice and personal responsibility. You say that in the end, "one still has the will or consciousness or whatever you want to call it to overcome the effect of the stressor". I've always believed that true, I'm a big advocate for people not blaming "environment or genetics" and picking up their own slack, but lately I've been challenged about my black-and-white approach to this whole thing.
I mean, I still believe that people have control over their moods, their behaviours. But at the same time, I've been amazed lately at how much we are influenced by the environment, all of us, making us so damn predictable in our behaviours.
Case in point: Our mood and the environment.
Within the day: We have a diurnal variation in our moods. We feel more sad in the mornings and more happy in the evenings. That is universally true, it probably has something to do with cortisol levels in the brain. I don't know if this is true, but I'll bet that's why babies cry when they wake up.
Within the month: Girls have an infamous variation in their moods to go with their progesterone fluctuations during the month. Week one, get your period, week two, feel great, euphoric almost, week three, all hell breaks loose and you are angry at everything, teary for no reason and feel fat (the fluid retention doesn't help), week four, things get better but then the physical pain begins. Repeat.
Within the year: We have a seasonal variation in our moods too. People are much more likely to fall into depression in winter. Some people have what is called "Seasonal Affective Disorder" where they fall into clinical depression every winter. Even if it's not that extreme, you can see it manifest in more subtle ways. Couples argue more in semester 1 exams than 2nd sem ones. People break up when the weather gets cold (March/April) and get together when it starts to warm (October/November). Maybe the answer is for everyone to move to Queensland, I don't know.
These things are pretty powerful. I know there are certain days when I know that I'm being short-tempered and I should be more loving etc, but I just can't shake the annoyance or the temper. Classically, they are the winter mornings of PMS days (haha). I'm sure you guys know what I mean. I still believe we need to persevere at self-control - the answer is not to let it all hang out, wear a sign that says "PMS right now, come back in 5 days" and get away with murder - but still I can't deny that these environmental things have no influence on me. To liken being in PMS to being on drugs is not that farfetched, given that progesterone is a pretty powerful hormone. The only difference is that, unlike alcohol or speed or whatever, we can't choose not to take this drug, as it's churned out by our corpus luteum without our consent.
The same goes for genetics. Lately I've become aware of how much I've become like my mother in a lot of things, despite a lifetime of trying not to be like her (I'll bet my daughter will say exactly the same thing about me, sigh). I just think that it can't be "nurture" if I've consciously tried not to be like that growing up. I hate the idea of blaming my genes for things, but I can't help but wonder if I'm being too close-minded. For example, personality disorders run in families, they've shown that with adoption studies. So maybe even if I were adopted away, I'd still be like mum, who's like my aunts, who's like grandma...
Bottom line? For sure, we need to be responsible for our own selves, and picking ourselves up from life's speedhumps (if you will) is one of them. But what of the person with the strong family history of schizophrenia or major depression or anxiety, who on top of that just lost their job, whose spouse left them and who has very little friends? Sure you can still will yourself out of self-pity, but in the absence of support, in the absence of hope (in the absence of knowing God... oh I have so much to say about that last one but I'll leave it til later...)
Hmmm I'm not explaining myself too good... maybe we should talk in person instead... over some warm coffee... in the evening... after the exams...
posted by me. @ 11:17 AM
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