Four F's
What stress response is this?
Clue: heart racing, thoughts speeding up, irritated or angry, reacting immediately
FIGHT
What part of the brain is responsible for executive functioning skills?
prefrontal cortex, frontal temporal lobe
What is the difference between healthy stress and chronic stress?
Healthy stressors: assignment/test, presentation/speech, asking someone out, meeting new people, deadlines, work/school
Chronic stress: trauma, abuse, neglect, toxic relationships, parental conflict/divorce, chronic illness
Chronic stress can contribute to anxiety, depression, and overfiring of amygdala/ being "stuck" in stress response
What are the 2 best techniques to strengthen and rebuild your brain?
meditation, exercise
also accept: running, yoga, breathing
What is the only fruit with seeds on the outside?
strawberry
What stress response is this?
Clue: body tenses, feels stuck like glue, shut down, don't know what to say
FREEZE
Name 3 EF skills
decision making
memory
processing
task initiation
metacognition
impulse control
focus/attention
planning
organizing
self-regulation
What is the amygdala?
BONUS: What does it look like?
body's fear center
almond
What is the hippocampus responsible for?
memory, storing emotions
What is the only food that can NEVER go bad?
honey
What stress response is this?
Clue: Increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and trembling limbs, thinking "I gotta get out of here"
FLIGHT
You have a major project due in two weeks, but you wait until the night before to start. Which EF skill is struggling?
Task Initiation/ or Planning/Prioritization
What happens if your sympathetic nervous system is triggered?
You go into fight/flight/freeze/fawn... your body prepares for danger. Your breathing becomes shallow and fast, heart races, eyes dilate
At what age is the brain considered done growing/developing?
25
What is the hardest bone in the human body?
jawbone/mandible
What stress response is this?
Clue: people-pleasing, appease, please, or comply with a threat to avoid conflict, abuse, or rejection
FAWN
What is the best strategy for someone who struggles with task initiation?
Breaking large tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
What happens if your parasympathetic nervous system is triggered?
Rest/Digest- your body believes it is safe
breathing slows and deepens, heart rate slows, eyes constrict
What is the definition of tolerance?
Needing to use more and more of a substance to achieve the same effect that was previously achieved with smaller amounts.
In the TV show Friends, how many times has Ross been married by the end of the series?
3
What stress response do you usually default to, and why?
...
What are some examples of cognitive flexibility?
changing plans/pivoting e.g. choosing a substitute ingredient if you're missing an ingredient for a recipe, being open to others opinions
What is the stress hormone?
adrenaline or cortisol
What is the limbic system?
part of the brain that helps regulate your emotions and behavior/ also responsible for the addiction pathway
What is the tiny piece at the end of a shoelace called?
an aglet