Comments on: Cognitive Vigilance, Stress, and Addiction http://counsellingresource.com/features/2008/07/23/cognitive-vigilance-stress-and-addiction/ Looking at life through the prism of psychology, philosophy, mental health and more. Originally created by counsellor, psychotherapist and philosopher Dr Greg Mulhauser, this blog is now the work of an international team of contributors. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:31:56 +0000 hourly 1 By: Sarah Luczaj http://counsellingresource.com/features/2008/07/23/cognitive-vigilance-stress-and-addiction/#comment-47760 Sarah Luczaj Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:17:35 +0000 http://counsellingresource.com/features/?p=483#comment-47760 Hi Linda, my post was a spin off from another post which looked at the experiement in question in the context of the moral inventory technique used in the AA recovery programme. It was a connection that Wray made himself and I also found interesting. You are right though, I could probably have written two separate posts to deal with the experiement and the possible addiction recovery element more rigourously in their own right. Thanks for your feedback! Hi Linda,

my post was a spin off from another post which looked at the experiement in question in the context of the moral inventory technique used in the AA recovery programme. It was a connection that Wray made himself and I also found interesting.

You are right though, I could probably have written two separate posts to deal with the experiement and the possible addiction recovery element more rigourously in their own right.

Thanks for your feedback!

]]> By: Linda Frania http://counsellingresource.com/features/2008/07/23/cognitive-vigilance-stress-and-addiction/#comment-47759 Linda Frania Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:24:15 +0000 http://counsellingresource.com/features/?p=483#comment-47759 Where there is stress, is there addiciton? I find it hard to comprehend why you have thrown "addicts" into an article that clearly centers on stress and what might help to reduce it. You are correct in that "Wray’s post does not take the argument back to the question of how people become addicts in the first place," as the experiment he posted on had nothing to do with an addict. The experiment, as you stated, "aimed to observe the vigilance of the brain and explore the connection between this type of error spotting and correction and a serene state of mind." Furthermore, the question of "how do people become addicts in the first place" was never asked. I appreciate your post on "Cognitive Viligence" and "Stress" with respect to its correlation in stress reduction; however, where the addict is concerned, your question should be more of one that asks how the addict stays sober, if this is what your article is intending to answer. And in this, the addict would have much more to say than cognitive viligence, though an important component. Where there is stress, is there addiciton? I find it hard to comprehend why you have thrown “addicts” into an article that clearly centers on stress and what might help to reduce it.

You are correct in that “Wray’s post does not take the argument back to the question of how people become addicts in the first place,” as the experiment he posted on had nothing to do with an addict. The experiment, as you stated, “aimed to observe the vigilance of the brain and explore the connection between this type of error spotting and correction and a serene state of mind.” Furthermore, the question of “how do people become addicts in the first place” was never asked.

I appreciate your post on “Cognitive Viligence” and “Stress” with respect to its correlation in stress reduction; however, where the addict is concerned, your question should be more of one that asks how the addict stays sober, if this is what your article is intending to answer. And in this, the addict would have much more to say than cognitive viligence, though an important component.

]]> By: Diane http://counsellingresource.com/features/2008/07/23/cognitive-vigilance-stress-and-addiction/#comment-47525 Diane Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:14:22 +0000 http://counsellingresource.com/features/?p=483#comment-47525 I think it makes total sense. It also reflects an amount of determination of individuals to the support of truth. Exercising the brains ability to seek accurate information. You would think that mindfulness and morality would play within that as well. And be an additional motivation in doing things well on a moral level. When you've spent time in study you have a great background in educational material that enables you to not be compelled so to speak for things which are addictive. I think it makes total sense. It also reflects an amount of determination of individuals to the support of truth. Exercising the brains ability to seek accurate information. You would think that mindfulness and morality would play within that as well. And be an additional motivation in doing things well on a moral level. When you’ve spent time in study you have a great background in educational
material that enables you to not be compelled so to speak for things which are addictive.

]]> By: avnish http://counsellingresource.com/features/2008/07/23/cognitive-vigilance-stress-and-addiction/#comment-46141 avnish Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:36:51 +0000 http://counsellingresource.com/features/?p=483#comment-46141 hi, guys I think about it I have to take this on faith. I conclude that if we are vigilant and aware of what is going on both in our heads and out, not in a passive detached way but an active one, ready to step in and put things right when we can, we are off to a head start in avoiding all kinds of relationship and “mental health” problems. Rocky hi, guys I think about it I have to take this on faith. I conclude that if we are vigilant and aware of what is going on both in our heads and out, not in a passive detached way but an active one, ready to step in and put things right when we can, we are off to a head start in avoiding all kinds of relationship and “mental health” problems.

Rocky

]]> By: Sarah Luczaj http://counsellingresource.com/features/2008/07/23/cognitive-vigilance-stress-and-addiction/#comment-46055 Sarah Luczaj Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:58:01 +0000 http://counsellingresource.com/features/?p=483#comment-46055 I am giggling about your mindful academics comments! I think you're right, I am not sure the general principle is invalid though. I think academics can become extremely focused on one small area of expertise to the detriment of mindfulness in the rest of their lives. That extreme focus and whatever it is that drives it is another element which changes the way everything works. Yes, it certainly does bring up an absolutely huge discussion. I am not up to it today!! Anyone else?! I am giggling about your mindful academics comments! I think you’re right, I am not sure the general principle is invalid though. I think academics can become extremely focused on one small area of expertise to the detriment of mindfulness in the rest of their lives. That extreme focus and whatever it is that drives it is another element which changes the way everything works.

Yes, it certainly does bring up an absolutely huge discussion. I am not up to it today!! Anyone else?!

]]> By: Evan http://counsellingresource.com/features/2008/07/23/cognitive-vigilance-stress-and-addiction/#comment-46029 Evan Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:54:58 +0000 http://counsellingresource.com/features/?p=483#comment-46029 It's a fascinating experiment. I'll pass by the reductionist physicalism. Perhaps the tie up between cognition and morality is meaning. The moral inventory assists the process of meaning making. (To my way of thinking this includes the dimension of agency.) I wonder about the chicken and the egg. Perhaps those stressed didn't catch errors because they were stressed. If mental and emotional monitoring draw on the same skill set this would mean that academics are the most emotionally mature individuals? Perhaps academics think so but this is far from unfailingly so in my experience. How much mindfulness do most academics have in your experience? So I could agree with mindfulness but not cognition. Which leads into a big discussion of the cerebral and its integration with the emotional. It’s a fascinating experiment. I’ll pass by the reductionist physicalism.

Perhaps the tie up between cognition and morality is meaning. The moral inventory assists the process of meaning making. (To my way of thinking this includes the dimension of agency.)

I wonder about the chicken and the egg. Perhaps those stressed didn’t catch errors because they were stressed.

If mental and emotional monitoring draw on the same skill set this would mean that academics are the most emotionally mature individuals? Perhaps academics think so but this is far from unfailingly so in my experience. How much mindfulness do most academics have in your experience? So I could agree with mindfulness but not cognition. Which leads into a big discussion of the cerebral and its integration with the emotional.

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