Stress "Dumbs You Down"

By Gayle North, CH

Positive Change Coach

"When we are under stress, we become less intelligent.  When stress is on-going, we shut off our growth, we shut off our immune system and we shut off our intelligence. "   - Bruce Lipton, Research Biologist and Author of "The Biology of Belief"

In school, we call it "exam stress".  What happens when a student is feeling stress during an exam?  You may have experienced it.  The ability to recall the information is mildly or severely weakened depending on the intensity of the stress.  In extreme cases, the student might feel like screaming or crying and might have an urge to run out of the room!

According to Dr. Lipton, "Teachers see it all of the time among students who "don't test well".  Exam stress paralyzes these students who, with trembling hands mark wrong answers because in their panic, they can't access cerebrally stored information they have carefully acquired all semester."  But you do not have to be a student to experience the effect of stress in your life. 

According to Dr Lipton, the human body detects environmental threats it sends a signal to the pituitary gland, the "Master Gland" which is responsible for organizing the 50 trillion cells of the body community to deal with the impending threat. 

This is the reason that stress makes you less intelligent.  If you are threatened by a challenging situation, your body will rally its resources to help you deal with the most immediate problem or danger!   These responses are controlled by your subconscious mind – and your subconscious mind is programmed by nature to protect you from the most eminent danger. Much of the blood that would be flowing through the internal organs and the brain is automatically redirected to the arms and legs – for your "flight or fight" state. 

PERCEPTION, PERCEPTION, PERCEPTION!

What runs the stress programs?  We know that all people do not respond in the same way to tests or exams – or to life.  What makes the difference??  PERCEPTION.

WHERE DO PERCEPTIONS COME FROM???

Certain perceptions are inherent in our programming as an organism.  We do not have to be taught to suckle, or to remove a hand from a hot stove.  The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises are also inborn.  Other perceptions, however, develop through our own unique and personal experience of the people and the world around us. 

One person may have experience that tells him that taking tests is an enjoyable challenge while another may develop a perception that test-taking is threatening, dangerous, and frightening.  The first person will look forward to test-taking and will be resourceful during the test.  The latter will have a fear reaction that causes difficulty in recalling the information needed for the exam.  For both, their experience will prove to them over and over again that their personal perception of exams is right/true/accurate.  They will have a hard time perceiving that they could have any other response.   

WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK?

The challenge is to discover the perceptions – especially the unconscious perceptions you use to define "who you are"  and "what you are and are not capable of".

WE CAN change the subconscious perceptions and beliefs that hold us back .  With each old erroneous perception we correct, we unfold more of who we really are – and have more joy to offer our loved ones and our world.  It's about time!

Gayle North is a Positive Change Coach who uses the latest "empowerment" technologies to cut the time it takes to improve self image, change eating habits, stop tobacco use, clear negative emotions, improve performance in school, sports, relationships, and more.  Visit  www.PositiveChangeInstitute.com  for other articles. Call Positive Change Institute at (406) 837-1214 or Toll Free at 1-866-To-Gayle to schedule your free screening.