The Chemistry of Excuses

Excuses are what people use often to get out of something they do not really want to do. Many people find that excuses are only damaging people’s work ethic in the end. I chose to do excuses because it seemed interesting as to why people constantly make up excuses and I wanted to learn the chemistry behind it. Sometimes my life is affected in a negative way from excuses. I will often procrastinate things which only leaves me with more work in the end.Composition of ...Research has shown that excuses are a cause of fear. The amygdala a part of the human brain is the most important structure of the fear response. Someone without the function of amygdala is practically fearless. In which if someone was fearless then the only other reason to make excuses is simply because they have no interest in doing that task.

The amygdala stores memories from emotional events. It contrast with the hippocampus-explicit memory.

• The two chemicals (hormones) that are released when the brain senses fear are adrenaline and cortisol.
• Also releases glucose into the bloodstream,
  • C9H13NO3 (adrenaline)
  • C6H12O6 (glucose)
  • C21H30O5 (Cortisol)

Main Chemicals, Compounds, Components

• Two hormones are part of the “fight or flight” concept.
• Cortisol C21H30O5
  • How -It is released when the body feels stressed and has low blood glucose.
  • What -It is a steroid hormone.
  • When -When ever they feel fear or stress.
  • Where-It is released into the bloodstream from the brain.
  • Why-It is naturally released in the body when it feels fear.
• Adrenaline C9H13NO3
  • How -Released from the brain into the bloodstream when the person feels fear, worry or stress.
  • What -Adrenaline is a hormone.
  • When -When the body is under stress, fear, or worry.
  • Where- Runs through the bloodstream after released in the brain
  • Why- It is naturally released into the bloodstream increasing rates of blood circulation.

Chemistry's Role

My two main components are naturally occurring. The chemistry of excuses are not man made. But there is chemistry in excuses. Adrenaline and Cortisol are hormones that release in the body, the chemical release. Adrenaline and Cortisol are made up from elements like everything else. They are chemically similar which is why they have a similar effect when release in the bloodstream. Adrenaline’s chemical makeup is C9H13NO3 while Cortisol’s is C21H30O5.

Background Research

Excuses have been around since people have been around. What happens in the body is a chemical reaction in the brain. Why people make excuses have dwindled down to the main reason: fear. Most of the time people with anxiety, phobias, or stress disorders make up more excuses than someone without those disorders. When the brain experiences fear it releases different hormones as a part of the chemical reaction.

Resources

https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-chemical-elements-of-the-human-brain-1

• Elements presented in the human body.
• 25 known elements are essential to life.
• Just 4 make up 96% of the human body they are: carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen.
• The human body functions as results of chemical reactions between all these elements,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain

• The brain is the most complex organ in a vertebrate’s body.
• There are different parts of the brain and it develops and grows the mindset of a human can constantly change.
• Since life itself is so complex and different there are different ways to learn about A barin. Some walks of life have a more complex brain than others in which this is why humans can speak learn and write in a way that a rabbit can not.
• Very important and useful!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_processing_in_the_brain

• Learning about the reactions in fear in the brain which could stop mental disorders such as anxiety, phobias, and stress disorder which could lead to stop excuses or even better understand why people make excuses.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortisol

• Cortisol wiki. The chemical formula, and part 4-4a

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2013/october/the-chemistry-of-fear-a-new-video-from-the-acs.html

• The chemistry of fear the reactions in the brain when it experiences fear the amygdala

http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Amygdala

• The amygdala is responsible for a wide range of behavior and psychiatric conditions.

https://www.headspace.com/blog/2015/01/16/why-do-we-make-excuses/

• Excuses are behaviors that damages our own motivation and performances.
• These are called “self handicapping” (when people use excuses to make their own life easier for them.)
• Offten people Want to avoid anxiety and shame.it is a deeper meaning that leads to ego.
• Some people hate failure so they make excuses to “save themselves”
• Excuses at times can be beneficial for some people, people with very low self esteem need excuses to make them feel protected, which to them is a lot better than having to feel failure. even boost the immune system in these peoples.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201005/excuses-excuses-excuses-why-people-lie-cheat-and-procrastinate

• Many times people feel no remorse when they make excuses.
• Odds are there is no way to completely end excuses.
• The most common excuse in college students for why they did not study or do a paper ect. Is the death of a grandparent.
• Some students have killed off not just 4 but up to 10 grandparents in the course of their study.
• not only do people want an out from doing a task they are suppose to do but they want it easier for the rest of the time being.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adrienne-dorison/the-one-thing-successful-_b_8177924.html

• People who make up so many excuses are not as successful as those who work through it.
• This article defines “leaders” as people who do not make up excuses.
• Leaders define their priorities. - 1 real reason people make excuses is because it wasn’t a priority.
• Leaders see more than just the present. They can look and see how hard work will benefit them in the future,
• Leaders are not afraid to fail. They understand that failing is a part of life and they get back up and try it again.
• Leaders do the task they are told even if it isn’t something they want to do.

http://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/breakingbipolar/2012/07/is-mental-illness-excuse-bad-behavior/

• Is mental health an excuse for people’s bad behavior?
• When it comes to excuses and mental health what really is “bad” is for the eye of the beholder. Ex: it can range from why you didn't work out in the morning to why someone physically harms another person.
• It is know that mental health can make people tell more excuses than the typical human.
• If someone is struggling with depression for example they will constantly make excuses for everyday tasks.
• V.S, a healthy human who knows that the dishes are to be done and knows they should go to work on time.
• Excuses can stem deep, into further problems.

http://www.daimanuel.com/2013/06/04/the-psychology-of-excuses-just-a-bad-habit-in-disguise/

• In this article excuses are just bad habits.
• They are taught to us at a young age through everyday life.
• If people worked hard enough to not make excuses then it can be simple to break.
• If people see no faults in making excuses then they will continue to make them possible until it becomes such a problem in someone's life.
• To break excuse making recognize what it is and move on, do not be a victim of how you think others will view you.
• There are many quotes about excuse making/ motivation.

http://blog.iqmatrix.com/a-life-of-excuses

• Excuses are only fear. Failure, embarrassment, change, responsibility, making mistakes.
• Lack of confidence in oneself and lack of resources.
• To eliminate excuses you must eliminate all traces of fear. Fear is a normal human emotion, but it can be overcome.
• Make excuses can have serious and lasting consequences. Lead to mental block paranoia and bad judgment. Plus massive regret which will make you feel worse than when you first told the excuses.
• You can end up not living a fulfilling lifestyle

http://www2.ccc.uni-erlangen.de/projects/ChemVis/motm/

• The chemical formula for adrenaline

About the Author

Alex Ackerman is a junior at Billings Senior High School . She participates in school activities such as Senior Advocates, Key Club, and sometimes Clay Club. She enjoys working in the community to make it a better place.