Customizing My Emotional Spin Cycle: Data Collection and Analysis

4/22/02

By: Jay Akasaki

Introduction

The focus here was to show the different variations among our society. Certain stories dealt with traumatic battles all the way up to successful ones. The articles that I chose were pretty much picked due to its controversial topics such as racial discrimination or prejudices. The analysis of the articles allowed the readers to see how the Bridge Technique could be applied and how it worked.

Depending on the area and culture of an individual’s upbringing, they would be brought up very differently from areas far away. Certain things may be accustomed in certain areas where it would not be accepted in other places. I feel that certain habits are formed when socialization into the community is being implemented. A person may feel threatened when something unusual occurs in front of them and this is the crucial point where the Bridge Technique can be used. Faulty beliefs can lead to more problems that won’t be resolved. Only by combating your irrational thinking procedures will you set yourself free from the internal bonds.

Being able to acknowledge negative attributes that holds a person back from living up to there full potentials is a major step towards success. In order to act out properly towards others, we must all treat ourselves with the respect that is due first. The IB’s that are not combated can cause a major problem concerning self-fulfillment and success. This is because individuals do not cross over to the positive cycles of both bridges. Only when we are down in a bottomless pit do we seek alternatives to make the situation less aversive. So that means, as a society, we fail to continuously question and revise our thinking strategies.

Up until this semester, I really thought that society, as a whole was doomed. The idea of endless freedom allowed individuals the opportunity to explore different realms within and beyond themselves that led to revolutions. Strong beliefs developed over the years allowing IB’s to continually rise with out questioning them. Unacceptable behavior was getting increasingly out of hand due to the lack of acknowledgement on the topic at hand. I never really knew or looked into what kind of information was out there to provide help for those who inquire. As long as today’s generation can formulate proper beliefs and strategies, our children of tomorrow will have a fighting chance. We must combat our IB’s now so that our children will grow up to have the knowledgeable parents that can deal with problematic issues. I feel that the major set back to this issue deals with humility. As a society, I feel that we fail to seek outside help because we may get embarrassed if loved one’s were to find out. However, thanks to self-help books, people can now learn to combat IB’s in the luxury of their own home.

The media must get involved, and post important issues out there for society to see. By continuously showing ads of improper thinking habits, individuals may start to get curious and focus their attention upon themselves on a higher level. Informing society is a major step to fight the war on Negative Spin Cycles. Each battle starts out with the first step and ends with the last.

Data Collection and Analysis

The Threefold-Self includes a person’s feelings, thinking processes, and behaviors. Everyone posses each component within themselves. Negative or Positive Spin Cycles starts out with how a person feels. Their moods in turn stimulate their thinking process. This is the crucial area in which the Bridge Technique. We can stay in a specific mood by thinking and trying to rationalize its effects. On the other hand, we can change out thinking patterns to change the way we feel. People’s behavior is directly connected to the way we think. If our thinking is disturbed then we will act out in that particular way.

I always thought about changing my thinking patterns to combat my IB’s, but I didn’t know how. Either that or accommodate my behavior to coincide with my feelings. Until now, I never knew the clear-cut difference between thinking and feeling. Plus, knowing about the Threefold-Self allowed me to examine over and over again the root of all of my irrational outbreaks. This also helps me to understand others as well. By knowing and understanding this process of the Threefold-Self and Bridge Technique, I allowed myself to explore different opportunities that life offers, and also developed well-rounded coping strategies. By taking a deep look at our Threefold-Self, we can examine mental functions, behavior patterns that are the key topics in Psychology today.

I took notes everytime I drove to work during this experiment. I jotted down my feelings, thinking patterns, and behaviors as soon as they came up. This drive back to Mililani took approximately 40 minutes. Whatever I could remember went down on paper, everything including cussing I wrote down. The first couple of times that I drove back during my baseline week proved to be interesting due to the fact that no intervention steps were to be taken. Next, the following incidents were intervened by using the Bridge Technique. Whenever I felt my blood start to boil, I thought about combating my irrational thoughts to change my outcomes of the situation. From there I could compare the results of the baseline and intervention week to see their differences. The differences dealt with whether or not the Bridge Technique was in fact effective.

The Bridge Technique confronts irrational thoughts and ideas to turn the results into positive outcomes. This is done by changing our negative thinking patterns. When practiced thoroughly, a persons feeling will change in a way of being more tolerant to aversive situations. By changing our thinking into a more productive one, our behaviors towards specific discrepancies will also change for the better. The Bridge Technique will only work if the individual makes a conscious effort to change, and also to keep on questioning certain motives. It’s pretty funny to actually see this technique work so well. I never heard of this technique before, and now I am glad that this class offered an intense look at this technique, because everyday I drill myself to become the best person I can be by using the Bridge Technique.

Every encounter has an effect on the Threefold-Self. You always have a feeling followed by your thinking which in turn affect on how you behave. There are four options that this cycle goes into depth. The first one is Negative About Others and the World. Second, is Positive About Others and the World. Third, deals with Negative Towards Yourself. Finally, the fourth deals with Positive About Self. These options are continuously being repeated throughout the whole day. There is not one moment where the Emotional Spin Cycle is not being activated.

The word "Spin" used in the Emotional Spin Cycle deals with the Threefold-Self. For an example, the direct opposite of rage or arrogance is resolve with compassion. Spin is the exactly the opposite from their negative or positive counterpart. The spin to it is to see negative feelings, thinking, and behaving take a 180-degree turn; right into the positive cycles. I must note that cycles also deal with the order of things. Whether positive about self or others, a person will always encounter feelings first, and then thinking followed behaving. The cycle is never-ending, and runs continuous. If one is not aware or don’t take the time out to review what’s going on in his or her life, they may get stuck on the negative side of the Four Options without ever knowing about it. These habits have to be broken in order for change to settle in. This self-help technique allows you to go in depth to find clues of why you act that way. Basically, an individual is looking for the same answers as psychologists. They both at emotions and feelings to see their effects on particular behaviors. These patterns are similar, but yet so different between genders. Both male and females have the Threefold-Self, and the same opportunities in the Four Options. However, I feel that women are more sensitive to their feelings, thinking, and their behaviors. They see certain behaviors that are not acceptable and instantly start to question how it came about. This kind of questioning allows them to review their thinking habits, which affects their new feelings and behaviors. Men on the other hand seem to be numb in the intensity of paying attention to details. My take on the situation is that men are more impulse driven. They don’t spend enough time evaluating situations, which in turn loses touch with what’s going on upstairs.

In this experiment, I used the Global Rating Scale that was provided in the general instructions. The scale was used once at the end of each day for the two-week duration. Their was a total of 6 ratings which include: my overall stress of the day, overall dissatisfaction with others, overall productivity or effectiveness, overall coping levels, current level for hope in the future, and in my view of others selfishness. The scale was designed in a way that 1 would be weak, ineffectual, or no negativity, and 10 would be extreme of all observed behaviors. This scale allowed me to see the differences between the baseline and intervention week. From there I could see if the interventions was in fact strong enough to change my negative attributes in the Spin Cycle.

Record Sheet

Day 4:

Stuck in traffic for 30 minutes on my way back home

Feeling irritated with the black BMW driving slow in front of me

Take a deep breath because there is no other route to get home

The driver in front of me also has to get somewhere

I have no obligations that can’t wait a couple more minutes

I put on some 80’s music

Start to reminisce about the 80’s, and sense my mood start to change

It’ not that bad after all

Global Rating Scale:

1. 4
2. 9
3. 2
4. 10
5. 9
6. 2

Day 5:

I miss the cut off by not paying attention

Cussing constantly

Goose bumps on my arm

Yelling at myself because I will be late for work

Question why I reacted in that fashion

Late, late, late, and have to come up with an explanation

That’s all (I tell myself)

I’m usually not late though

My hands are tapping to the sound of System on a Down

I asked myself if I was going to be terminating for this one incident

No, I probably won’t even be noticed

Calm down by thinking of where I am going to go after work

A smile comes over

Tell myself not to go over board on something so small

Go to work and don’t have to explain anything to my boss

Realized that I worked myself up for that short period for nothing

Global Rating Scale:

1. 5
2. 7
3. 9
4. 8
5. 10
6. 1

I took notes of all of my little quirks, thoughts, and actions for a total of six times. I basically used key words as titles to describe an event while away from home. Then I would come home and gather my thoughts pertaining to the topic, and then put them into short sentences. There were some differences in my feelings from the actual encounter and the explanatory notes. It seemed that by the time I came home, the intensity of the event was less extreme. So I wrote down the intensity of how I felt at that particular moment instead of at the actual incident. I basically used the same format of the Global Rating Scale found in the general instructions for my record sheet. Copies of the scale were made for 6 of the trials that covered my feelings, thinking, and behavior patterns.

First of all, my memory is very bad. I tend to forget important events that have to be done or be attended. This led me to write everything down so that I could remember to do those important things. I used this technique during my intervention week. Whereever I went, I carried a piece of paper that had an illustration of the Bridge Technique and important notations. The paper was always in my sight to remind me to intervene whenever an IB came about. As soon as a negative feeling came over me, I quickly tried to examine my thoughts. I would question my intents over and over again so that I could improve them. This technique proved to be helpful. By acknowledging my inflamed feelings I had an opportunity to have a quick start to re-examine my conscious and unconscious thinking patterns. In order for me to cross over the bridge, I would have to combat my IB’s until total exhaustion. As soon as my thinking changed to a more rational pattern, I could then see my supportive or self-enhancing behavior.

Before starting on this project, I highly doubted the power of using the Bridge Technique. I guess that I was wrong. I was so determined to prove myself wrong that I put 110% into making it work. I feel that if a person is serious about a positive change, then the Bridge Technique will work. The only way that it wouldn’t work would be because of the effortless dedication. One must recognize that everyday will not be the same. Some days it would be easier getting around certain obstacles until the goal is achieved, and that was the case for me.

Depending on the severity of the situation, the time to actually cross the Red Bridge varied. My perception of the whole scenario determined whether or not it was going to be a long day fighting my irrational thoughts. For instance, I was driving to work on the 13^th of May, and a driver cut me off. I was already grouchy from having only 6 hours of sleep when this happened. According to my notes, this incident happened around 7:15 Saturday morning. I was near the Pearl City on ramp when the incident happened. A white Acura Integra quickly came on the freeway crossing three lanes to the left. This was the lane I was in. I was set at a cruising speed of 60mph when this car nearly missed my front bumper by a couple of feet. I guess the car was trying to get around the pact of cars. I was so pissed off and was tempted to chase him down. Luckily, I questioned my motives, and didn’t get that far. I asked myself where and what I would get out of doing that. My frustration level was so high that I couldn’t come up with a positive answer or resolution. This weakness stirred up from my irrational idea of comfortable space on the roads. I clearly felt that it was violated by at least 10-15 feet. Anyway, the rest of my day turned out horrible due to the lack of successful crossing of the Red Bridge. No matter how many times I questioned my thinking patterns, all I could think about was finding the guy to get some answers. Later that same night I sat down with my father to talk about this incident over a couple of beers. I vented until I was breathless. The funny thing about it was actually hearing what came out of my mouth. Hearing what was being thought about out loud helped me to see how absurd my behavior was. I sounded as if I was a bounty hunter searching for fugitives. I realized that I wasn’t the law, and that by chasing the car would endanger other people’s lives as well. Thinking about the possibilities of others getting hurt opened my eyes to my irrational motives.

The consistent questioning of my Threefold-Self helped me to focus my attention on problem related areas in my life. If I saw a family member or friend going through similar negative emotional spin cycles, I would try to offer my help without them knowing it. I would ask them questions about their core beliefs, and why do they feel they are the absolute truth. By doing this, I hope to bring out any unconscious or conscious feelings or thinking habits that they aren’t aware of. Hopefully, not only my family and friends could use this technique, but everyone else that is encountering some sort of aversive situation. I feel that everyone has the power to change. It’s a matter of acknowledgement and proper training that can tell the final score. I must also note the importance of repetition. The more times you go over a specific situation, the better your chances of combating IB’s effectively to come to a positive resolution. Those that give up easily or want the easy way out is out of luck. Important changes will not come without effort. Their false core beliefs would be too strong to combat an occasional dispute concerning their IB’s. Their inadequate feelings of rage will not be kindled without a lot of practice. Without effort from the individuals, the Bridge Technique will be limited on its effectiveness.

Discussion

The main thing that I learned from this project has to do with telling the difference between my feelings and thinking, and how the are so closely connected. I used to think that my feelings were derived from the way I thought and not vice versa. In a way that is true, but only by thinking things out can your feelings be changed. So I guess I was wrong on my initial perception of it. Of course there must be some kind of emotion that kick starts the cognitive process initially. Only from there can my emotions be changed with the use of the Bridge Technique.

Seeing the Four Options gave me the opportunity to pinpoint what cycle I was currently in. For an example, I’m mad at a person that is driving in the slow in the fast lane. I would then have to follow the chart backward to see why my thinking was impaired. I noticed that my biggest weakness was to judge a situation for the worst before actually organizing my thoughts. However, My determination to change the way I thought proved to be my strong point. I wouldn’t give up combating my IB’s. Having seen that this technique does work, I have a feeling that I will be using it more often. It would definitely be a good idea to continue this process to get me through life’s insane obstacles.

Not only can a person change their whole outlook on life, but at the same time learn productive coping strategies. The ability to cope has a big part in the quality of life. Everyone could do this technique, because I’m sure that there is room for change in everybody. The technique is very simple and straightforward. Basically, the diagrams explain the course you are heading in if you don’t make a conscious effort in making the crossing. Once progress is made, an overwhelming feeling will come over, and further their motivation. The only hard part about it would be the initial jump that people have to take in the life long process of bettering themselves. I think once they see actual proof they will then take the chance. This would be especially true in high stress areas such as in schools and in the workplaces. This technique allows individuals more positive options to be productive instead of counterproductive. In a high stress world, I can’t stress it enough that coping strategies that tie in with the Bridge Technique can be very beneficial.