How to stay calm when you know you'll be stressed | Daniel Levitin | TED

Summary

In this engaging narrative, the speaker, a neuroscientist, recounts a personal anecdote of breaking into their own home during a harsh Montreal winter, leading to a broader discussion on decision-making under stress. The speaker explains the effects of stress hormones like cortisol on cognitive clarity and introduces the concept of 'prospective hindsight' or 'pre-mortem,' a strategy for anticipating potential problems and devising preventive measures. Practical advice is offered, such as designating specific places for frequently misplaced items and keeping digital copies of important documents. The discourse delves into the complexities of medical decision-making, emphasizing the importance of understanding statistics like the 'number needed to treat' and considering side effects before consenting to medication or procedures. The speaker illustrates this with the example of statins prescribed for high cholesterol, highlighting the need for informed consent and conversation with healthcare providers. The talk concludes with a call to embrace our human flaws, prepare for failure, and establish systems to mitigate damage, advocating for proactive thinking and open dialogue as essential tools for navigating life's challenges.

Takeaways

• 🧊 In extreme cold, like a Montreal winter night, the brain can be affected by stress, leading to poor decision-making due to the release of cortisol.
• 🔑 To prevent misplacing important items, designate a specific place for them at home, leveraging the brain's spatial memory and the hippocampus function.
• 📱 When traveling, take a photo of important documents like passports and credit cards, and store them in the cloud for easy access in case of loss.
• 🧠 Recognize that stress impairs cognitive function, so planning and organizing in advance can mitigate the effects of stress-induced cloudy thinking.
• 💊 In medical decision-making, ask about the 'number needed to treat' (NNT) and side effects to understand the benefits and risks of a treatment.
• 🤔 Consider the quality of life and potential side effects when making medical decisions, and have these discussions with loved ones in advance.
• 🧳 Prepare for travel by having backup plans in place, such as storing digital copies of important documents and having a system for keeping track of belongings.
• 👨‍⚕️ Engage in informed consent with healthcare providers by asking the right questions and understanding the implications of medical advice.
• 🧳 Implement systems to prevent or minimize damage from unforeseen events, such as installing a combination lock after being locked out of the house.
• 👴 For common surgeries like prostate removal, be aware of the NNT and the associated side effects to make informed decisions.
• 🌟 Practice 'prospective hindsight' or 'pre-mortem' by anticipating potential problems and planning how to prevent or mitigate them.

Q & A

What was the situation that led the speaker to break into their own house?

The speaker had locked themselves out of their house on a very cold Montreal winter night after midnight, having left their keys on the dining room table and finding all other doors and windows locked.

Why did the speaker decide to break the basement window instead of waiting for a locksmith?

The speaker needed to get their passport and suitcase for an early flight to Europe the next morning and couldn't afford to wait for a locksmith, considering the urgency and the cold weather.

What is the psychological concept the speaker mentions that affects our thinking under stress?

The speaker mentions the release of cortisol, a hormone that raises heart rate, modulates adrenaline levels, and clouds thinking when the brain is under stress.

What is the term used for the practice of looking ahead to potential problems and planning for them?

The term is 'prospective hindsight,' also known as the 'pre-mortem,' which involves anticipating what could go wrong and planning to prevent or mitigate those issues.

How does the hippocampus play a role in remembering the location of important items?

The hippocampus is a brain structure that has evolved to keep track of the locations of important things. It is particularly effective for items that don't move around much.

What is the advice given for preventing the loss of commonly misplaced items like keys or passports at home?

The advice is to designate a specific place for such items, like a hook by the door for keys or a particular drawer for passports, to ensure they can be easily found when needed.

Why is taking a cell phone picture of important documents like credit cards and passports recommended for travelers?

Having digital copies in the cloud can facilitate quick replacement if these documents are lost or stolen while traveling.

What is the 'number needed to treat' (NNT) in medical terms, and why is it important for patients to know?

The NNT is the number of people who need to take a drug or undergo a procedure before one person is helped. It's important because it provides a measure of the drug's effectiveness and helps patients make informed decisions about treatment risks and benefits.

What is the estimated number needed to treat for the most widely prescribed statin according to the speaker?

The estimated number needed to treat for the most widely prescribed statin is 300, meaning 300 people would need to take the drug for a year to prevent one heart attack, stroke, or other adverse event.

Why is it suggested to discuss the potential side effects of a treatment with a doctor?

Discussing potential side effects is crucial for informed consent, allowing patients to understand the risks and make decisions about whether they want to take those risks based on the likelihood of harm versus benefit.

How does the concept of 'pre-mortem' apply to making important decisions such as those related to medical treatment?

The concept of 'pre-mortem' involves thinking ahead to the questions and considerations that might arise during decision-making, preparing in advance to have a rational discussion rather than being caught off guard in a high-stress situation.

What is the speaker's personal strategy to prevent getting locked out of the house again after the initial incident?

The speaker had a contractor install a combination lock with an easy-to-remember code next to the door, containing a key to the front door, as a preventative measure.