WakingUp.net

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in our brain. It is the way WakingUp.net represents the biological creatures we all are. We are made up of muscle and bone, arteries and nerves. The nervous system constantly sends signals to all party of our body via neurotransmitters, such as serotonin.

Our physical sensations, behaviors, thoughts, and feelings arise from our biological make-up, contributed to us by genes from our parents, as well as our biological and personal experiences.

We all have characteristic reactions both physically and emotionally that happen all day, over and over, and they shape out life. These reactions may be physical, such as sweating, racing heart, or neck pain. It may be abdominal cramps or tension headaches. When nervous sytem tension increases, the body part that is most susceptible will tend to be automatically triggered. Their actions may also be emotional, such as anxiety, anger, or depression. The reactions also include automatic thoughts such as self-recriminations (I'm such an idiot, she's so stupid), or behaviors such as reaching for a beer or cigarette.

These automatic reactions happen so regularly we don't even notice how Pavlovian or knee-jerk they are. In some ways our emotional reactions and physical processes are fixed. That is, our body is the way our body is. We will all have physical reactions from time to time - no one promised us a perfect looking body that functions without a glitch. Misalignment and lack of synergy among the various tubes, threads, and organs of the body is inevitable.

Yet, what is clear is that stress can make any of these symptoms more intense or frequent, and even cause new symptoms to develop. If we are not aware of our own unique automatic pattern of thoughts feelings and physical sensations that are occurring dozens of times a day, we feel victimized by them instead of allowing these reactions to be SIGNALS of stress to us.

One we are aware of stress setting off these reactions, then we can use the skills at WakingUp.net to alter them. 

Meditation is a tool to settle ourselves down when these alarms go off. Using the other skills in the FUNCTION section, we can begin to realize in advance what stresses us so that we can either learn how to avoid the situation or become more effective in navigation through the difficult situation.

The goal is not to avoid emotions because it is normal to feel depressed when something depressing happens. 

However, a lof of our suffering is from what we do to ourselves. There are two kinds of suffering, which WakingUp.net calls legitimate and illegitimate suffering.

LEGITIMATE SUFFERING is that which comes about through the normal course of affairs, beyond our control - someone close dies, you get sick, there is an economic recession, tornadoes, etc.

ILLEGITIMATE SUFFERING is vastly more common and consists of mistakes we commit that causes us distress. We then become alarmed with our automatic reactions, and all hell breaks loose. Examples include alcohol and drug usage, binge eating, lack of exercising, or taking out our anger on others. This type of suffering we have a great deal of control over. WakingUp.net aims to deal with this type of suffering.

So what do you do about it?

As you go through your day, begin to follow your automatic reactions and record them. Include the automatic physical sensations, emotions and thoughts. If you do this for a few days, you will begin to put together your automatic style of reacting. By understanding this style, you will no longer be a prisoner of it because although it's automatic, it is not inevitable. It is an alarm or signal, and the skills taught at WakingUp.net can help you soften your reactions and build new paths to more effective ones.

A WORD ABOUT SYMPTOMS

WakingUp.net does not aim to take the place of medical or mental health care. Many symptoms can be indications of serious illness and should be taken to your medical professional.

Symptoms such as insomnia, persistent depressed mood, low energy, poor concentration, decreased appetite, and feelings of suicide or want to be dead are indicators of depression.

Symptoms of anxiety may include racing heart, shortness of breath, light-headedness dread, difficulty getting out in public, or other symptoms.

Any other symptoms, physical or emotional, that is trouble you should be run past your medical professional to rule out serious physical or emotional illness. Make sure you do not need professional help before embarking on an on-line stress management informational format.