What have I learned?/Reflection

Applying Psychology to my everyday life

That is a big question to have to answer, what have I learned about General Psychology?  Since I struggled greatly with this class being my first online class, I think I learned a lot! From the states of consciousness to memory, motivation and emotion to development, as well as psychological disorders this topic definitely caught my interest. I have actually started applying what I learned to my life and daily routine.

First topic I was interested with is the “States of Consciousness” only because I have trouble sleeping and staying asleep sometimes. I learned that there are different types of consciousness, knowing what is going on around you, I read that drugs alter your consciousness more than you think and will make you think you need to do that drug again to feel a certain way. I never knew that Meditation is considered an altered state and not just a technique to calm or relax your mind. Also, I have acknowledged that I daydream a lot! Some would call it “zoning out” or just being deep in thought, I daydream at work, when I’m driving and cooking, even when I am at school.  

Next I read about “Memory” which is like a folder that you can put stuff in that you have read or learned, to hold until you need to use it or apply it. I thought short-term memory was always made up or just pretend, I had no idea that it is real and affects many people in their every day lives. I forget almost everything, so learning retrieval cues made sense because, for example, if I smell something it might bring up a memory from thanksgiving six years ago. Having a good memory is what you need when getting a job and going through school, If I could not remember how to make drinks, I would most likely be fired from my job at Starbucks.

When I look at my daughter, Aubrie, I start to realize that she is my “Motivation” for everything I do now. Why am I in school? So I can get a better job and give my daughter the life she deserves. I never thought about obesity and eating disorders to be apart of motivation, but now that I think about it, I guess you would have to be pretty motivated to be “skinny” to put yourself through that, even though it is harming your body while you are achieving your goal weight. Another type of motivation I learned was the “need for power” the fact that a woman showing concern for others is considered a high need for power amazed me, I just thought maybe that person was really concerned.

Different stages of life that people experience as we become older, also known as “Development” was very interesting to me because I apply some of what I learned to how I raise my daughter. Learning about Attachment has helped me understand why Aubrie is crying when I leave the room, or why she wants to be held but will ignore me when I come back. I would consider myself an Authoritative parent, just because when I was growing up I was controlled and not allowed to do a lot of things. I want my daughter to be independent and liked by everyone, I also want her to be friends with everyone but be goal oriented as well.

A chemical imbalance, chemical loss or some kind of trauma is what I think about when I hear “Psychological Disorders”. These disorders are not to be joked about, mental illness is real even if you cannot see it. My cousin, Amy, struggles with Bipolar Disorder and I struggle with Depression, Anxiety and ADD. I loved reading about the different types of Disorders and how most people who suffer from them receive no help at all. I remember being diagnosed with Depression when I explained to my doctor that I could not even be at work without randomly crying or just losing my concentration.

Overall I believe my favorite topic would have to be “Psychological Disorders”, I have already started applying it to people I see. I honestly think that a customer of mine is Schizophrenic just from the things he talks about and his behavior. I really enjoyed learning about different things that people can suffer with and it has taught me how to react when I see abnormal behavior that there might be some deep underlying cause for that behavior and not to judge too quickly.

*Reflection*

I'm very excited to continue applying what i have learned from this class to my life, it has helped me spot certain things at home with my daughter and how to talk to my boyfriend so we do not argue. This class has actually helped me with understanding my relationship and how to approach every day.