The Molecule of More

THE MOLECULE OF MORE

waves. Neither one of us was worried. We had seen this type of weather

many times before.

I took the wheel to bring us about. As I was turning, I heard a loud

pop, and the wheel spun freely. I no longer had control of the rudder, and I

was more frightened than I ever remember being in my life.

We were within an L-shaped reef. The coral was visible just above the

water, and the waves were pushing us toward it. My first thought was to

jump out of the boat. I wanted to put on a life preserver, and try to swim

out of danger. I quickly realized that would be impossible. The waves

would either smash my body onto the reef, or the undertow would pull me

farther out to sea. I could feel utter panic approaching, and I knew that if I

allowed it to control me, I would lose my ability to think. This all happened

over the course of about 10 seconds.

To save myself, I had to start thinking. I radioed a Mayday message,

then my crewman and I got to work on the sails and used them to steer us

out of the reef. We then figured out a way to control the rudder with our feet,

and we got the boat pointed in the direction of the shore. As soon as I began

to plan and act, the panic receded, and I could think rationally.

After we made it to shore, while I was walking back to my room, I

began to weep and shake uncontrollably.

This real-life story is an excellent example of the interplay between
dopamine and  the  H&N chemical of fight or  flight, norepinephrine. 
When the steering mechanism broke, norepinephrine kicked in. The
H&N emotion of fear overwhelmed the sailor. He just wanted to get
out  of the  situation. At  first, the  initial neurochemical H&N flood dis-
placed his dopaminergic ability to plan. Nevertheless, the fact that he
could sense that  panic was  on  the  way,  but  was  able  to  hold it  off,  is  an 
indication that his dopamine system had not shut down completely.
After only a few seconds, control dopamine was fully activated, and
he began to make rational plans. H&N norepinephrine was shut down
and the fear receded, leaving a passionless, cerebral approach to sur-
vival. After the crisis was over and he was safely on shore, dopamine
receded, leaving room for H&N to come roaring back, triggering the
shaking and weeping.