Lena Davis
Psych 2012 Class Topics Reaction Papers

Table of Contents
1. From page 155 on topic of “Sleep”
2. From page 162 topic of “ Dream”
3. From page 165 on topic of “Hypnosis”
4. From page 167 on topic of “Meditation”
5. From page 168 on topic of “Drug Use”
6. From page 227 on topic of “Constructing Memories”
7. From page 252 on topic of “Reconstructing Memories”
8. From page 257 on topic of “Forgetting”
9. From page 432 on topic of “Stress”
10. From page 438 on topic of “Positive Psychology”

Sleep
When we get tired our bodies are almost in a drunken state. Our eyes began to open and shut, our head bobs up and down and we feel as though we can’t go anymore. This is definitely a sign that it’s time to get some rest. Sleep is a way our bodies rejuvenate itself after a long day or night.
After reading this section on “Sleep”, I now have a better understanding of what my body goes through. I could never understand why some times when I would take long naps, I would feel more tired than before I went to sleep or why some nights I would wake up in the middle of the night and be super energized. Our bodies go through a cycle of four continuous stages and depending on what stage we are in, when we wake up, may determine how our body feels.
I also found out that taking a 20 -30 minute nap or “cat nap” as some may call it, is better than taking a nap for a hour or longer. Waking up in Stage 3 or 4 is your deepest sleep, where your body is at its most relaxed state and the blood has flowed away from the brain and the muscles and immune system began to repair itself. So if you are suddenly awakened, you may feel groggy for a minute until your blood has been recirculated, hence the lightheadedness.
I wasn’t too convinced about these sleep theories. I believe that most human beings understand why we need sleep in our daily lives. Those may come from Of course, everyone knows that your body needs sleep in order to replenish itself.
In regards to sleep debt, my sleep debt is probably close to 2 months. After battling between full time school, work, newborn and 2 young kids, I have lost plenty of sleep and the result has been lots of frustration, inability to think straight, tiredness.
Everyone has experienced some type of sleep disorder at one point or another but I believe they range from mild to severe cases, like most diseases and disorders.
Dreams
All my life, I always had weird and interesting dreams and always wanted to know what they meant. My parents owned a dream dictionary, so every time I could remember my dreams, I would look them up and try to relate it to real life events. When I was little not only did I have really emotional dreams about God, alien abductions, being stalked but I sometimes had control over my dreams; or at least I thought I did.
Well after reading about Dreams, I disagree with them when they say dreams have no meanings. I can’t see how something so vivid and so detailed cannot mean something to our lives. I know from my own personal dreams, they felt very real but could it have been something I seen subconsciously, that played back in my head.
As a young girl, there was this one dream, where I was at a church picnic playing with my family. I would have this dream very often. The image of the church and its surroundings were very vivid. Well when I got older, we were riding through Mississippi and I saw the exact church that was in my dream and everything looked the same. Now was this a coincidence or maybe we had passed by this place as a young child and was subconsciously put in my dream.
As a child, I suffered from many, many nightmares as a young adult, the nightmares had ceased although every once in a while I will have a dream that makes me cry in my sleep. Most of my dreams now involve me traveling all over the world, going on extreme adventures and pleasant things. Although it’s strange that during all three of my pregnancies, my dreams were very violent and brutal and involved me in the middle of world wars, zombie invasions and gang confrontations. I always said that meant I was going to have some strong, energetic kids, and they all are. Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a tricky topic. Is it possible that someone has the power to have control over someone’s mind where they can make a person act out and do things they might not normally do? Could it be that an individual could just be going with the flow? Personally I think people aren’t necessarily put in a trance they are just acting out the commands they hear.
In order to achieve the best hypnotic experience the body needs to be at total relaxation and the mind cleared of all thoughts. You also have to be able to absorb experiences and have a good imagination in order to be hypnotized.
I don’t believe I would be a good subject for a hypnotist because I don’t believe someone has the power to control my mind in that type of setting. I cannot be 100% sure because I have yet to visit a hypnotist. Honestly, I am kind of skeptical because what if indeed I am put in a trancelike state, I wouldn’t want anyone really getting in my mind. I have watched my daughter try and put me in a trancelike state. When she misbehaves and knows she is going to be punished, she stares in my eyes and sways her head back and forth and hums. It is kind of funny because sometimes I play along with her.
Hypnosis affects each and every individual differently, it all depends how imaginative one is, how susceptible to psychological takeover, and even if one’s believe that hypnosis is real and not just a trick.

Meditation
Growing up as a little girl, every time I heard the word meditation, I would always think of prayer or religion. However after reading several articles on meditation and taking a Total Wellness course, I learned that meditation does not necessarily relate to religion, although it can; meditation is used as a way to relax one’s mind and help alleviate stresses and other health related ailments, such as, depression, chronic headaches, and eating disorders.
I believe meditation is essential to our daily lives, almost such a necessity as sleep. If everyone took the time out to meditate daily, I believe we would be at a more peaceful state. I have found that meditation has helped relieve my headaches in the past and has helped me fight depression. When I’m feeling stressed, I try and isolate myself, close my eyes and focus on object or image and I might repeat a few words to myself.
I have neglected my meditation time since the birth of my son in December, because of this, I have noticed way more irritability, I am very short patient; my focus has been scrambled up in my head, I can’t think straight at times and I have been feeling more insecure and depressed than I normally have. In order to improve this, I must adapt a daily routine that includes a little time for meditation. Otherwise, I am only hurting myself emotionally and physically.
Overall, I believe that meditation is very important not only for the mind but also for the body. If there is an unbalance between the mind and body, a person is unable to function to the best of their capabilities and further result in life threatening issues.

Drug Use
When one hears the term “drug use”, we automatically assume alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and/or antidepressants. What about caffeine? Caffeine is kind of like a drug in disguise. It’s legal, you can get it anywhere and there is no limit to the amount you can intake. My name is Lena and I am a caffeine-abuser.
I center my abuse around chocolate, coffee, espresso and tea. I have always been a lover of chocolates, any and all kinds. Espresso and green teas came in when I moved to Miami. I used to drink several shots of espresso daily, which resulted in several caffeine overdoses due to too much espresso during work, in which I suffered headaches, stomachaches, jitters, and nervousness. It is very addicting and good but I believe my body has become tolerant because I cannot stay up like I used to after drinking it; it’s almost just like drinking juice or a flavored drink. My abuse is not too bad compared to many others however.
More than 22 million, age 12 and over abuse to some type of psychoactive drug, I believe alcohol and prescription drugs are the number 1 addictions because they are legal and easy accessible. I have seen the effects of drugs on many people I grew up with and it is very disturbing to see people who I looked up too and had promising futures become addicts and their whole lives fall apart.
I believe in the use of natural herbal medicines in order to treat diseases and illnesses but they also can be abused at some point.

Constructing Memory
Memory is a continuous, active process that constructs, encodes, stores, alters, and retrieves information. The brain is the most complex organ in our body and has the power to control everything including our memory.
Constructing memory can be done by several processes, depending on how you learn best. Every day, everywhere we go and everything we see, is taken into our brain unconsciously and constructed into a memory that is but into the back of our minds but can be uncovered through continuous experience. For example, when I worked at Dave and Buster’s in Houston, there was this one cd that they would play all day. I never like any of the songs. Well after working there about 6 months and continuously hearing the same songs over and over, I began to know all the words to the songs, not even realizing it.
Memory is also a learned process. Being a student, being able to study and pass an exam requires good memory. Some people learn and process course material, through the use of visual aids and or hands-on. I feel I learn the best through hands-on experience, writing my notes over and over, my memory processes the information easier than if I would sit and just read over the notes.
I love the use mnemonics. I often use them in my everyday life, especially when trying to study for tests, remembering dates, times, locations, writing notes. Mnemonics provide a great way for us to help remember and recall certain things that maybe are too much to remember as a whole. Memories are millions and millions of stories stored in our head that are later recalled throughout life when needed.
Reconstructing Memories
Well since I talked about constructing memories, I felt it was only right to talk about reconstructing memories. Reconstructing memories is the ability to put past memories back together by recalling details of the event. I know we have all constructed past memories before, just by someone asking you, “What did you do last summer?” You may not remember every detail but you will be able to put together enough details to put your story together.
We may sometimes reconstruct our memories but get some information confused with something else we have seen or experienced before. When we are misinformed about something, we are more likely to get it wrong, rather than us not getting the information at all.
This goes wrong, when you have witnesses for a homicide case. If they read certain materials of asked certain questions in certain ways, it can lead them to be confused and misinformed and may have an effect on the outlook of the case.
I believe most of my childhood memories, are false memories, constructed from stories I was told as a little girl, pictures that I have looked at, awards that I received. It is very intriguing because, I feel like I have actually experienced that stories I have told but sometimes I feel, that I am reconstructing a story from a picture I may have seen related to the memory I’m reconstructing. I was in a lot of pageants and dance recitals as a young girl, now I feel like I remember what happened but I’m unsure if it is a story made up from a picture I saw.
Our memory is very complex and has the power to reconstruct events that we possibly thought we would never remember.
Forgetting
I don’t believe we truly forget anything; it may be only that our memories have just been repressed at a certain time and we may need stimuli to bring back that memory. Knowledge is definitely suppressed if not used and we may feel like we have forgot something but by relearning we remember what it was we were trying to remember.
In my own personal life, I know for the years that I was in school and being around well educated people, my vocabulary and knowledge were all on a high level. After taking a break from school, getting into the nightlife and hanging around people who were a little less, educated, I noticed I began to adapt to their language and forgotten how to use my language that I had learned all these years. After, eliminating myself from that environment and getting back in school, my memories have been restored and remember more on my intellectual side than my “hood” side.
Repression has been a good way for me to but unsettling events behind me. Although I don’t believe these memories are forever forgotten, I believe you have to put yourself in a state, where you try and replace these negative memories with positive ones. Certain life events, such as a movie, book, or television may, however, may cause you to remember what happened in your past.
Uncontrollable means of forgetting through amnesia, dementia, and Alzheimer’s can only be improved though further tests, studies, and therapy, may help improve and restore a person’s memory loss.
Stress
I think we can all agree that we would all like to live in a perfect world, stress-free and no worries. Unfortunately we live in a very bad dream and have to deal with tremendous amount stress daily. Stress affects no particular person, it affects everyone; but everyone learns to deal and manage their stressors different ways. Some of us however, have a hard time dealing and coping with stress, which could lead to depression or even suicide.
Stresses range from mild stresses like, being stuck in traffic to major stressors, such as a death in the family. It is all about perception. I am a Type B personality, which means for the most, I am pretty calm, cool and collected and my fiancé’ Type A, but I have no patience for incompetent drivers, which will cause me to have road rage, which really stresses me out. However my fiancé has no problem with someone driving 45mph in a 65mph or someone cutting him off and nearly getting in an accident.
I have learned to manage my stress levels through meditation and exercise because stress can affect everything from your sleeping habits, thoughts, daily activities, emotional security and overall physical well-being.
I don’t believe the use of behavioral medicines are necessary for someone to manage stress, I believe that only lead to drug dependency, which I have seen in a lot of people. I believe stress should be managed through being able to communicate your thoughts and feelings, exercise and accepting the stressors and realizing that most are uncontrollable. The way you learn to manage and cope with stressors, the more peaceful your life will be.
Positive Psychology
Positive psychology is awesome because it focuses on the good that we do, rather than always focusing on the negative. It embraces positive outlooks for negative situations.
Happiness is a way of showing your contentment with your life and your positive outlook on things. People would often ask me at my job, "Why did I smile so much?" I replied, “Why not?” Smiling on a daily basis and having a positive attitude makes me feel like a million bucks.
Happiness can be acquired by accepting change and adapting or comparing to someone else’s situation, who may have it a little worst. For example, I’ve always had my own place to stay, so when my family and I had to move with my fiancé’s grandmother, the change of environment and not being able to have my own space was very difficult to deal with and went through a lot of tough moments but I adapted to the change and accepted our situation, which helped me deal rather than get depressed. I also compared situations with a friend of mine, who was in the same situation but had 5 kids under the age of 7 to care for, by doing that it also helped to accept my situation.
I’ve always taken an optimistic approach to life. I’ve come to learn that most things are out of our control and the best way to deal is to think on the positive side, “Things could be worst!”
Being optimistic has been very rewarding for me, I have seen the effects of being a pessimist; have led to very stressful lives, depression and even thoughts of suicide, all depending on the severity of each individual situation.