There may indeed be something primal in human being, some survival mechanism from our caveman days of constant danger that lies dormant in modern man, some sixth senses of instinct that almost never needs to surface in our society. but it’s still there. still potent yet latent in a deep part of our genetic makeup and we subconsciously crave the dopamine released as a results of fulfilling these primitive desires and that’s what had been driving human mankind since hunter gather era which began around 2.6 million years ago and lasted until about 10,000 BCE and despite making significant progress in many aspects since; social, economy, science and etc. We simply can’t ignore the negative impacts of these primal callings had on us as we fail to even acknowledge them and underestimating their irresistible pulls on us with stubborn belief of our own infallibility of having a rational and sensible way of living and yet we are as complicated as we could ever be where there will always be a range of wild cards within us beyond our control.
In fact, the sense of obligation and endurance instilled in much of the individuals in Asia had served the community superbly in many ways, but as many pointed out, if often exacts a high societal and personal price when desires of any forms got out of control with dire and irreversible consequences. Added to this misery is the fact that we can do litter to change our survival DNA other than carrying out personal due diligence and risk assessments. This article strives to proposed 3 proven effective ways to take advantage of these traits for our own benefits instead of letting things run their own course risking modern day miseries of agonies usually in being scammed in the name of love and get rich fast schemes, financial hardship due to greed, relationship problems arise from lust, substance abuse, social media obsession and etc.
Pre-emptive strike of fulfilling the dopamine rations; We after all are sexual and social beings along with our earthly needs; we rely on bottom 2 layers of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; sex, cigarettes, social media rush, sugar, foods, alcohols and so on to get our dopamine fix before moving on the higher levels of fulfillments. Many suggest a tougher rational head-on fight would simply fails to overcome our flesh and blood and the underlying cravings and desires in the long run, the outcome of which will have an impact not just on overall well-being but also relationships with one another which often leads to preventable heartaches, regrets and sufferings. For example, maintaining a healthy and harmonious sexual relationship within the marriage context is the best prevention and deterrence of any form of adultery along with costly and emotionally draining extra-marital affairs.
Having regular meals, sufficient rests, moderate social media usage would have fulfilled the craving in proper dosages within one control. A typical contented and sexually gratified man wouldn’t even had paid slightest amount of attentions to other attractive and desirable ladies. Likewise, a women with lots of dedicated love would not had easily gone astray in any functional and loving marriage. The key are both man and women along with the different demographic profile have distinct different sets of needs and it’s of paramount important to play them out differently.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. … Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” – Ephesians 5:22 and 25, ESV).
Stimulus Avoidance; The idea that it is generally better to press on than to divert, whatever the circumstances had been proven largely counterproductive as we are typical creatures of senses with pre-coded and known responses and once being triggered along with the nuts and bolts synchronizing with one another, its would take extraordinary efforts to slow and eventually cease the momentum. We all had the similar experiences of snacking uncontrollably on foods that’s are high in salt and fat when we skip meals unintentionally, leaving one felt helpless and guilty overlooking the facts that it’s the way our mysterious microbes and inherent survivor instincts of hunter gather at work; we binge on high energy food source when opportunities present itself as we won’t know when will be the next meals when our body failed to be fed within the predictable timeframe. Same principles applies to sexual desires and senses of belonging and love and so on. So in other words, if one had underlying unfulfilled longings its pays to be able to identify them and avoid or minimize any arousing elements.
And lead us not into temptation,[a]but deliver us from the evil one—Matthew 6:13:
Either the sights, scent or even certain wordings with specified tones could be the receptables triggering our undesirable responses within and even any ideas being conceived could had self-fulfilling prophecy until the deeds are done as we incessantly seek the “thrills” and “excitements” from the highly irresistible activities, it is feeding on our insatiable addictions on dopamine which allow us to feel pleasure, satisfaction and motivation not unlike the man greatest friend; dogs and other animals in general, whose greatest pleasure is at the heart of everything; after survivals needs are met.
Rewiring the known undesirable reactions with alternatives. Almost regardless of how these vices end and irrespective of the gratitude that one will have for their salvations, the narrative that will emerge will be one of a weak mind struggling with their hand tied behind their back if rewiring and forming new neurons networks associating with known stressors with preferred responses thus gearing toward a positive and non-self-destructive outcome remains incomplete.
“Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”― George Lucas
Fears of suppressing unwarranted stress responses disadvantaging people and creating fresh dilemmas are unfounded in the modern society where rules and orders are enforced for collective safe passages for almost 100% of our daily livings enabling us in pursing inspiration and maximizing our potentials, living our lives to the fullest and enjoying what life had got to offer and it only make logical sense to retrain those neuron networks with pragmatic and appropriate responses.
For example, the anxieties of seeing others getting ahead of you can be reconditioned as we are all unique individuals with different strength and weakness, what others are having are least of one concerns as long one is worthy with strong self-confident from higher calling. self-rationalization repeatedly in a positive manner for one own sanity of health are the keys
” And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.—Romans: 8: 28
In summary, therefore, it seems inevitable to change our built-in primitive drives in any meaningful way can only be done carefully by engineering the encounters and re-conditioning the responses. Acceptance and embracing the facts and reality are the essential ways for one to manage our ancient and primitive drive to our advantages as most of us are experiencing same type of troubles progressively at different age group and in different cultural context as well. Our individual behaviors might seem distinctive but in a larger scheme of things, all mostly having a high degree of resemblance. Behind that, so often lies a vague but potent fear of the alternative- failures for maximization of individual’s potential.
What happened to many dysfunctional families illustrates the painful costs exacted by individual succumbing to ever powerful dopamine inducing activities helplessly failing to live up to their sense of duty and obligation. Despite having good government that’s have given political stability and economic dynamism for lives to thrive, but more work is needed to build resilient individual and nation, we usually overestimate ourselves and uses self-rationalization twisting facts to fulfill our greed and desires. Apprehension and embracing of our own unique human natures are the most important first step to take advantage of our inner primitive drives to milk ourself and yet getting the elation of pleasures, satisfaction and motivation in a controlled manner.
Unclegarfield 